Oh, yeah, I’m REAL scared by the economic threat posed by the European Union…

Updated on December 13, 2007 By Ken Begg 7 Comments

Finally, somebody stands up against the tyranny of free book delivery!

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  • Sandy Petersen

    I recommend “The Cube and the Cathedral” by George Weigel for an insightful look at new Europe. Sweden has a higher percentage of people below the poverty line (defined as $25,000 household income) than the USA. Germany, the EU’s economic powerhouse, has a per capita GDP the same as that US powerhouse of Arkansas.

    Europe’s retired population is set to increase by 55% in the next 25 years, while its working population will decrease by 8%. I’m sure their social welfare state will prosper exceedingly with so many “clients”.

    It’s actually pretty terrifying when you look at the whole picture.

  • Yes, but imagine how dire things would be if they allowed THE FREE SHIPPING OF BOOKS!!!!

  • Finally, the long French national nightmare of loss-leader discounts is over.

    But seriously, the situation in France bugs me. I remember when Airbus was in dire straits not too long ago, and they needed to lay off some people. Germany had little problem … but the French government has this clause about guaranteed jobs, and Airbus couldn’t do the same in France without triggering massive protests.

  • Sardu

    Geeze. Why doesn’t France just make the Internet illegal for its citizens and be done with it.

  • Danny

    I’m pretty sure the small bookstores offer free shipping, too. Seeing as, you know, you go to where the book is, and bring it home yourself.

  • Huntress

    A couple of years go, my sister and a friend of hers went on a tour of Europe. She told me that within hours of arriving in France, they were looking at each other and saying, “Who’s idea was it to come to France?”

    Apparently, the place was technologically primitive (even in Paris), everything cost too much, the service sucked and too many of the people they met were unfriendly. Call me crazy, but I think most of those things can be traced back to their government’s iron-clad control over their business environment.

  • Perhaps, but then when they returned to the States, they were still threatened by the eerie, malign spector of FREE BOOK DELIVERY!!!!

    But yeah, I suspect few here will be calling you crazy, anyway.