every 10 meters?

I believe you, but can you post some pics of this. Cant find them anywhere else.

Here's another picture, not mine this time.

I could take picture, but you can easily imagine I'm not very keen on taking pictures of those poor people.

On certain lines of the subway, you have a minimum now of three to four homeless persons per station, too. What a great social model we have!

Well, I think the situation in Washington DC is much worse anyway. I saw a homeless falling badly from the stairs, he was really bleeding. but no one took him to the hospital because he did not have insurance, you would not see that in france

Tokvil,

You would not see that in France? Are you kidding me? These homeless people DIE in the streets without anyone caring. Eight already.

And by the way, the myth of no insurance, care anyway in France is BS. A foreign friend of my father's, a rich man, with a large bank account in a French bank was once refused urgent heart surgery at La Pitié unless he would pay in cash. At the time 60,000 francs (nearly $11,000) cash. That's more than you are allowed to withdraw in France in cash from your bank account without explaining why to your banker. And in the meantime, they refused to let him go back to his native country. Interestingly, this happened in France while the guy was from Russia.

No no, really, I doubt this could be worse in Washington, DC.

Honestly, the situation is Worse in DC. I have lived near nanterre, where thare are a whole buch of it. But if you go to north East Dc, it is unbeilievable. Or if you go out down town during night time, it is not comparable to what you can see in Paris. I am not denying the exiostence of poverty, nor its cause, in France. I am not saying that i have statistical neutral data on the matter. But, all the french I have met in DC tend to draw the same conclusion. that does not mean that the us are not a good and wealthy country.

For the French Health Care system, i dunno, but I know that the law forbids to deny emergency treatment to patients for monetary reasons. this statute [you will find this provision in Code de la Sante Publique] is applicable to all medical institution. However, it is true that non EU foreigners are not protected by the French social security and must pay entirely the medical expenses. it seems bizarre though that admission to an hospital be conditionned to a security deposit.
What kind of condition did he have?
When did it take place?

I WANT TO EXPRESS THAT THIS IS NOT AN OPINION IT’S A TRUE ACCOUNT OF MY EXPERIENCES.

FOR 8 YEARS I HAVE BEEN ON A QUEST TO FIND A NICE PLACE TO LIVE AND NOW I AM FACED WITH THE CHOICE OF COLD WEATHER AND BUMS OR WARM WEATHER AND BUMS, UNFORTUNATELY THERE WERE NO ALTERNATIVES THAT DID NOT INCLUDE BUMS, DRUNKS, DRUG ADDICTS, CRACK HEADS,VAGRANTS, HOMELESS, PANHANDLERS OR WHATEVER THEY ARE CALLING THEMSELVES.

WHY DOES ALL THE SYMPATHY AND UNDERSTANDING GO TO THE DRUNK, DRUGGED OUT AND CON ARTIST HOMELESS COMMUNITY, WHY NO SYMPATHY FOR ME?

ABOUT ME, I AM A NATIVE CALIFORNIAN, I AM A WOMAN, I AM A MINORITY. I GIVE TO CHARITIES.I HAVE VOLUNTEERED IN HOMELESS SHELTERS, I USE TO SPEAK, ONE ON ONE TO THE HOMELESS ABOUT THEIR SITUATION. I WAS RAISED TO TREAT PEOPLE EQUALLY.I’M TRADITIONALY A DEMOCRATE BUT I AM NOW ONLY WILLING TO SUPPORT CANDIDATES THAT ARE AGAINST THE PROGRAMS THAT ENABLE THIS BEHAVIOR.

WHY DO WE CONTINUE TO APOLOGIZE FOR GENTRIFICATION, RENOVATION AND THE REVITALIZATION OF NEIGBORHOODS? WE PAID FOR IT YET THE HOMELESS ORGANIZATIONS MAKE US FEEL GUILTY. WE PAY THOUSANDS TO LIVE IN MAJOR CITIES AND THEY PAY NOTHING AND WANT THE SAME PRIVILIGES. TO MAKE IT WORST THEY ASK US FOR MONEY IN FEARFUL FACE TO FACE ENCOUNTERS AND MAKE US PAY THROUGH TAXES AND MANY OTHER WAYS.

[Edited by the Blogmaster: please keep your comments short hence easily readable. 9 pages is way too much]

Tokvil,

I don't know Washington, DC. On the other end, I know NYC and I can tell you that although I've seen several homeless people before and after Giuliani's terms mostly, the situation was never what it is today in Paris.

For the French Health Care system, i dunno, but I know that the law forbids to deny emergency treatment to patients for monetary reasons. this statute [you will find this provision in Code de la Sante Publique] is applicable to all medical institution.

Have you ever tried entering such an institution in rags? Okay, me neither. But the first thing they ask you in hospitals for example, is your carte vitale. If you don't have it, they ask you to pay.

However, it is true that non EU foreigners are not protected by the French social security and must pay entirely the medical expenses. it seems bizarre though that admission to an hospital be conditionned to a security deposit.

Not a security deposit, the price of the surgery. And the patient had them call his French bank which certified he could pay.
I'm not saying the hospital shouldn't have asked for the money in the first place. What I mean is that we have this myth of France being compassionate and caring but it is simply untrue.

Applying laws doesn't mean the people care. On the contrary. That they would be no laws that force hospitals to take in patients who don't have the financial means to pay, and that they would do it anyway, that would mean they care. In the present situation, they don't, they simple are forced to.

What is the result in the end? Look at the 2003 heatwave. 15,000 deads in France alone. Did people care?

What kind of condition did he have?
When did it take place?

I don't remember all the details. What I remember for sure, it's that it was some time around 2001-2003. And he had to have a heart surgery of some kind. One hospital wouldn't let him go back to Russia (they refused to let him go) while La Pitié where the surgery was to take place would not check him in without the surgery paid in cash and in advance.

/// don't know Washington, DC. On the other end, I know NYC and I can tell you that although I've seen several homeless people before and after Giuliani's terms mostly, the situation was never what it is today in Paris.///

And where do you think Guiliani put the homeless ? Do they now have a home? Sincerly it is a real question i dunno NYC at all

///Have you ever tried entering such an institution in rags? Okay, me neither. But the first thing they ask you in hospitals for example, is your carte vitale. If you don't have it, they ask you to pay.///

True. But they sometimes make an exception. You are right when you say french health carte system is not compationate.

///What is the result in the end? Look at the 2003 heatwave. 15,000 deads in France alone. Did people care?///

Some people did care... After.

///I don't remember all the details. What I remember for sure, it's that it was some time around 2001-2003. And he had to have a heart surgery of some kind. One hospital wouldn't let him go back to Russia (they refused to let him go) while La Pitié where the surgery was to take place would not check him in without the surgery paid in cash and in advance///

you let me confuse, I really dont' know what happened in that case. Was the admission in la pitie in "le secteur prive" i.e. employed doctors who have a private practice within public hospitals, which show that the syustem is not as compationate as it claim it is.

But believe me DC has A LOT OF HOMELESS

by the way, i like the introductory picture

Diane,

Thank you for making a very valid point. Please do return to the E-nough! salon. Some of us here have had similar experiences to yours and pondered this situation in a like manner.

Sorry we couldn't indugle in your entire vent. Sometimes it really does help to just pound it out on the keyboard. Know that you are not alone.