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Comment by lionhearted | Hacker News Reader

I'm cracking up laughing here. Here's some perspective for my fellows 'mericans who haven't been to this part of the world. English people love to pan everything French for any reason whatsoever. Most English folk will openly say, "I hate the French" - they don't actually hate the French. It's just that they really, really get off on having a laugh at anything and everything French.

I was cracking up laughing when I saw the headline - and then saw it was from the Guardian. The article's probably all correct, but the really gratuitous tone the author takes, like he's glad the conference was a mess because it made him able to write this article hardcore "taking the piss" out of the conference? Yup, it's an England thing :) I love it, and mind you, I'm a quarter French and a quarter English so I'm pretty neutral in the whole affair.

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I'm French and I enjoyed the article. This Loic LeMeur guy has always been a self-proclaimed ambassador of whatever he wants, but he's just blow hard. He needs the bad press so he'll disappear sooner (I hope so).

And you're right about the gratuitious French bashing, it's a cultural thing and it takes part on both sides of the Channel, there's nothing to be offended about, it's funny if you take the right stance.

Loic LeMeur is the European answer to Jason Calacanis.

Together at last:

http://www.onemanandhisblog.com/images/2007/Loicandjason.jpg

Someone please make a secondary market for karma. This one deserves more.

Jason, as great of a guy you are...

Wow, he looks frighteningly like Vin Diesel.

Hey! easy there fella.... we had screaming wifi and internet at www.techcrunch50.com !!! (for 2.5 out of three days that is!).

Note: I've figured out how to get wifi to work at a conference.... run ethernet cables to everyone's seat.

Seriously, that's how we've solved the problem. I've told the tech people every year that wifi sucks for large groups, it doesn't handle 1-3k connections in a 30,000 square foot room and that ethernet cables are rock solid.

every time the techs fight me, every time I force them to run ethernet and every time i'm right.

very frustrating... i will NEVER use wifi as anything other than a backup at a conference. Run ethernet cables people... it's really that simple. also, get three different connections and run three separate networks for each 1/3rd of the conference. then if things go down at least 2/3rd of the people are up.

Running ethernet cables is a great idea, but I don't think he was talking about the conferences.

If it makes you feel better his startup his failing badly.

Judging from the one instance of this type I've observed up close, it doesn't much matter if your startup is failing badly. You simply switch to "teaching" other people how to do startups.

One thing that characters like this have in common with upper managers in large corporations is a remarkable ability to frame failures as successes, at least in terms of promoting themselves personally... which is what they really care about.

Looking this over, I want to clarify: when I said "characters like this", I meant, "characters of the type we're talking about". I'm not making any point about the individual named in the thread, whom I don't know and haven't observed, and for all I know may be unfairly put in this category.

I can't imagine that would make anyone feel better. I enjoyed following his videos when I was first starting up, and his energy is certainly infectious. Since his layoffs I've had a bit of a more dour opinion of him, as it seemed opportunistic, and he does tend to jetset quite often.

That said, I hope he does well. I can't see the value in what he does, but then I'm not likely his target market (though I certainly tried Seesmic, and tried to like it). And I haven't a clue as to where the revenue stream was supposed to materialize (product placement? Brand communication channel?) But as an entrepreneur, I would hate to see him fail badly, as you put it - his family is here, he's put a lot of effort, etc.

Although I suppose you didn't explicitly state that you take pleasure in watching another who's risked quite a bit fail spectacularly, I thought I might just drop my two cents.

The other commenters reflect my thoughts. While I don't enjoy watching startups fail, it really rubs me wrong when people are too busy going to conferences/twittering/emailing/whatever instead of working on their startup. If you can't do, teach.

Loic is actually a really great guy who works very hard. I wouldn't pass judgement on him without getting to know him. All entrepreneurs share the common struggle, and it's very easy to attack people you don't know in forums, blogs and on twitter.

Truth is he is a serial entrepreneur who's had great success, who works hard and makes a ton of mistakes like all of us do. No one is perfect, and trust me layoffs SUCK for everyone including the person who has to do them. I've had to do layoffs at two of my four startups and those days were the worst days of my professional life.

give the man a break... he created an event for startups to come together and the wifi didn't work.... and it was cold.... and maybe it was a little boring. however, i'm sure the parties and networking were great... and it's Paris.

i mean, come on... it's paris! (note: i canceled my trip because i've got project A launching on Monday and i needed to be focused. )

no not at all, failing startups are not good for anybody.

You're wrong ! Loïc LeMeur created the Web 3.0 !

Oh no...I don't even know what Web 2.0 means yet. Though apparently I'm the cofounder of a "Web 2.0 company".

you are lucky!

No one really knows what it means, it's fairly open ended to be honest.

Also, checked out your startup. 2 thumbs up :)

I think web 2.0 means that you don't make money. I think you're running a web 1.0 company/

If I think up some pretentious-sounding buzzwords, can I invent Web 4.0?

Yes it makes for some great laughs. I am a fan of "Yes Prime Minister":

Humphrey: "If the French have the bomb, we must have the bomb" PM: "But isn't the Russians we are worried about"? Humphrey: "well yes, right now, but what about the last 1000 years?"

I think there is a similar streak in the American national character (although I we'd probably phrase it as "I hate France", which is a distinction with a difference). Freedom fries, etc. We know we've been bffs for a few hundred years now and if someone attacked France the same folks who voted for "freedom fries" would be the first ones suggesting we come to France's aid.

They would add "Like we always do", of course, and give France guff about it for the next century or so. But we kid because we love 'em, even though they are cheese-eating surrender monkeys. (Google it.)

Yup, that's true... Such as this: Go to google, type in "french military victories", and press I'm feeling lucky. It takes you to a french parody site, suggesting that you meant "french military defeats".

That one is chuckle worthy but I think this is the absolute pinnacle of the genre:

http://www.albinoblacksheep.com/text/france.html

About the only think it leaves out is the American Civil War, where France was initially rooting for the Confederacy. The later reverted to type: switch sides after the battle is won and take credit for the victory. (Jokes aside, the UK performed similarly that time.)

See, e.g., http://www.civilwarhome.com/europeandcivilwar.htm

There's an even stronger streak with regard to Canada. Jon Stewart the other day said that Canada's chief national export is "jokes that they are the butt of."

This is so true :)

I love french people personally (sorta). But to admit to it in the UK is still a hangable offence you know!

And us brits wonder why people dont get our humor "lets be really rude to them! good joke yes?? haw haw" ;) :D

Brit and you say "humor"? I doubt it old chap.

Well, I'm British, yet I sometimes find myself using US spellings when posting in an online place with lots of Americans.

I'm an Indian and I'm trying to keep the British spelling alive. Let's have some fighting spirit here, shall we :p

Dude I totally have the same problem.

I even started using the word Dude when not stoned :o

We Americans do too. In high school my history teacher liked to ask the French students "how do you say I surrender in French?" We hold WWII over them the way you do Waterloo.

Some take it too far and start using the term "Freedom Fries".

"A war with France is traditional, but with Paris, unthinkable" -- Jane Austen (IIRC)

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