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An apology to the French

Posted: Mon May 31, 2004 7:40 am
by Beemer Dan
This is just too good:

I had to share this find. I recently purchased a high-quality computer sleeve from a small boutique manufacturer. I was checking if it could be washed. The photo is the attached tag with the washing instructions in both English and French. The English is exactly what you would expect and so is the French, for the first 6 lines. The last three lines of French are most interesting. "We are sorry that our President is an idiot. We didn't vote for him." Given recent strained relations between our two countries, it's good to see that not all Americans agree with the current administration.

Here is the text of the French version of the tag--which is not what the English version says:
"Wash with warm water
Use mild soap
Dry flat
Do not use bleach
Do not dry in the dryer
Do not iron
We are sorry that
our President is an idiot
We did not vote for him."

Image

Found on O'Grady's Powerpage - http://www.powerpage.org

Posted: Mon May 31, 2004 9:39 am
by DerGolgo
Ah, yes, the cunning of the French. Not even the fox who used to be professor of cunning at Oxford University but has moved on to be chief advisor on cunning plans at the UN could be so cunning.
Honestly: The French are patriotic. They are intensely patriotic.
I don't think some French workers would put that in there.
Think about it: The company that made that computer sleeve bought their labels from a printing company. So, even if somebody at the printing company put that in there, the people of the computer sleeve company would have to absolutely agree with them. Otherwise, somebody would loose customers, hence somebody else (namely at the printing company) loose their job.
So, in all probability, this is just a marketing ploy for the sleeves that are shipped to the US.
Besides which, even if it does say "Made in France" on that computer sleeve, it was probably made in Romania or Slowakia or some such place where the entire European textile industry has migrated. But as long as the product is packaged in France, EU rules state it is legal to declare it "Made in France". The same scam the Spanish, Greek and Italians have been running with Tuscan olive oil for about ten years.

Posted: Mon May 31, 2004 12:54 pm
by xtian
I have seen a picture of this tag with the mention that it was on a shirt made in the USA
but then again can you trust the internet ;)

Posted: Mon May 31, 2004 1:47 pm
by Slash 6
the reason its in French and English is because the manufacturer wants to sell whatever the product is in Canada... everything sold in canada has to have both French and English labeling.

Now as far as where the product is concerned and where it was manufactured... it could have been anywhere but the company that made it was probably American.

BTW... I am also ashamed that the President is such a fucking moron.

Posted: Tue Jun 01, 2004 6:29 pm
by Beemer Dan
Yep, it's a USA company. Of course the could have printed the sentiments about the "president" in English and not had to worry about offending the shrub....he can't read :mrgreen:

Posted: Wed Jun 02, 2004 1:29 pm
by Beemer Dan
BackDoorBarbie wrote:why exactly are we saying sorry to the french anyway?
Well, there are other countries that we need to apologize to that have higher priority, but the French are a good start :mrgreen:

Posted: Wed Jun 02, 2004 4:54 pm
by Slash 6
I need to get this shirt before I leave for France next week

Image Image
reads: "We are sorry that our president is an idiot. We didn't vote for him."
http://www.cafeshops.com/fullmoonemp.10940579

Posted: Wed Jun 02, 2004 7:11 pm
by click
when I worked at Hot Topic I had to cut off half of the tags on a bunch of retro style shirts. They said "Not to be used for masterbation clean-up" Yes, Pee-Wee Herman was on the front. :mrgreen:

Posted: Wed Jun 02, 2004 10:22 pm
by xtian
Well, there are other countries that we need to apologize to that have higher priority, but the French are a good start
maybe they don't do english/arabs labels or english/bosnian labels on shirts ?
(gonna get my ass kicked again :roll: )