http://www.artipot.com/authors/9506/johnny-summerton/ Latest articles by Johnny Summerton from Artipot - your one-stop resource for free articles. http://www.artipot.com/articles/185789/theres-nothing-like-good-neighbours.htm And if the case of the recent discovery of the body of a 70-year-old man in his apartment in the town of Aix-les-Bains in southeastern France is anything to go by, he had anything but "good neighbours" While there's nothing too unusual perhaps in the report of an elderly person's death going unnoticed, especially when he or she lives alone, there must be more than a little... Sun, 17 Aug 2008 04:46:43 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/185789/theres-nothing-like-good-neighbours.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/185788/how-could-parents-forget.htm It's a question that has preoccupied many here in France over the past month, and sadly made the headlines far too often It's also one to which it's difficult to provide an answer Sun, 17 Aug 2008 04:39:45 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/185788/how-could-parents-forget.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/179460/french-parliament-delivers-on-sarkozys-promise.htm It's never easy following through on an electoral pledge, and if any politician knows how difficult it is, then it must be the French president, Nicolas Sarkozy So far he has failed miserably on last year's major presidential campaign promise to increase the purchasing power of the average man and woman on the street here in France and kick-start the sluggish economy he... Wed, 06 Aug 2008 10:19:33 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/179460/french-parliament-delivers-on-sarkozys-promise.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/177805/sarkozy-set-for-a-constitutional-showdown.htm Hardly the sexiest headline by any stretch of the imagination But there again when it comes to institutional reform and changes to the constitution, the subject matter is hardly guaranteed to instill much enthusiasm Sun, 03 Aug 2008 18:12:06 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/177805/sarkozy-set-for-a-constitutional-showdown.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/172940/adieu-ppda.htm There was an end of a television era here yesterday as Patrick Poivre d'Arvor, affectionately known in this country as PPDA, made his final broadcast as anchorman on TF1's prime time news slot Think of a news anchor in your own country, someone who has been around for donkeys years and at a certain time of the day when the small screen is flickering becomes almost part of... Thu, 24 Jul 2008 06:54:10 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/172940/adieu-ppda.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/172937/sarkozy-to-blame-for-royals-break-in.htm This is a political piece that by its very definition can only be filed under "Strange" on any website It concerns last year's defeated candidate in the French presidential elections, Ségolène Royal, and her claims that she is paying the price for comments she made recently about the French president, Nicolas Sarkozy Thu, 24 Jul 2008 06:47:35 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/172937/sarkozy-to-blame-for-royals-break-in.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/169874/sarkozys-astonishing-olympic-announcement.htm So it's official The French president, Nicolas Sarkozy, will be attending the opening of the Olympic games in Beijing, After a "productive" 30-minute meeting with the Chinese president, Hu Jintao, Sarkozy's office officially released the news on Wednesday that it had already leaked to the French media last Friday Fri, 18 Jul 2008 15:04:30 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/169874/sarkozys-astonishing-olympic-announcement.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/169503/poppys-plight.htm She first came to our attention after we had visited a local show at the village hall organised by a nearby refuge for abandoned dogs and cats At the ripe old age of eight Poppy, we were told, had been "rescued" from owners who had over time collected more than 30 dogs, many the result of interbreeding, and who understandably had found themselves no longer able to cope Thu, 17 Jul 2008 23:53:37 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/169503/poppys-plight.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/169464/sarkozys-g8-ennui.htm He was bored, the poor man You could see it in his eyes and his body language Thu, 17 Jul 2008 22:39:30 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/169464/sarkozys-g8-ennui.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/169387/betancourts-unsung-hero.htm Since the dramatic rescue last week of 15 hostages held by Colombia's leftist rebel movement the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or Farc, much of this country's attention - if not the world's - has been focused on Ingrid Betancourt Finally though one of France's leading national daily newspapers, Le Figaro, has caught up with reports that have appeared elsewhere... Thu, 17 Jul 2008 20:11:18 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/169387/betancourts-unsung-hero.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/168527/sarkozys-union-bashing-barb.htm Sometimes a politician can believe his or her own spin just a little too much that it leaves many onlookers gasping in disbelief and checking their ears to make sure they've heard correctly Such has been the case here in France since Saturday when the French president, Nicolas Sarkozy, came up with what surely has to be the most unlikely interpretation of recent events in... Wed, 16 Jul 2008 07:11:41 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/168527/sarkozys-union-bashing-barb.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/164017/one-womans-french-foly.htm Right upfront it has to be said that this is far from being a hard-hitting news piece And what's more it'll probably only have a limited appeal bearing in mind that among the roll call of names are those that will only be familiar to the French, or French ex-patriots, Francophiles, Francophones and France-watchers Mon, 07 Jul 2008 10:04:40 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/164017/one-womans-french-foly.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/163914/trash-tvs-secret-story.htm You can tell summer has arrived here in France because the signs are all around us First up there are the obvious ones - such as the weather and the dress code Mon, 07 Jul 2008 03:39:41 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/163914/trash-tvs-secret-story.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/163499/twice-an-orphan-barmy-bureaucracy-or-welfare-of-the-child-you-judge.htm Last weekend here in France an 11-year-old boy, Joris, found himself effectively orphaned for the second time He was taken into care after his father, 34-year-old Aboubakar Coulibaly, was deported back to his native Côte d'Ivoire Sat, 05 Jul 2008 20:18:11 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/163499/twice-an-orphan-barmy-bureaucracy-or-welfare-of-the-child-you-judge.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/162672/public-prosecutor-recommends-dropping-jean-sarkozy-charges.htm The mysterious if somewhat exhausting case of the hit-and-run scooter and the role of the French president's son, Jean Sarkozy, could be nearing its conclusion A Paris prosecutor has recommended dropping charges against him, but a final decision won't be handed down until September Thu, 03 Jul 2008 22:45:57 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/162672/public-prosecutor-recommends-dropping-jean-sarkozy-charges.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/162611/ad-campaign-to-promote-sarkozys-election-promise.htm The French government has launched a media blitz in an attempt to convince people that it really is winning the battle to increase purchasing power In the coming weeks the French will be treated to over 1,600 TV commercials as well as Internet advertising and full page spreads in the national and regional daily newspapers Thu, 03 Jul 2008 21:11:19 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/162611/ad-campaign-to-promote-sarkozys-election-promise.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/160469/sarkozy-starts-visit-to-israel.htm The French president, Nicolas Sarkozy, begins a three-day visit to Israel on Sunday in what the press back home is reporting as further proof of an improvement in relations between the two countries It'll be only the third time a French president has visited Israel, and Sarkozy is likely to have a far more conciliatory tone than his predecessors Mon, 30 Jun 2008 05:00:22 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/160469/sarkozy-starts-visit-to-israel.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/160267/sarkozy-muscles-in-on-eu-reform.htm It's just under a fortnight until France takes over the six-month rotating presidency of the European Union and already the rest of Europe is getting a taste of what it can expect At a meeting of EU leaders in Brussels on Thursday, Sarkozy said the Union would not be able to go ahead with any further expansion without ratification of the Lisbon treaty Sun, 29 Jun 2008 11:39:36 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/160267/sarkozy-muscles-in-on-eu-reform.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/159183/french-press-call-for-domenechs-head-after-france-exit-euro-2008.htm In the time honoured tradition of the good old sporting cliché it's time to break open the thesaurus, cry over the spilled milk and join the rest of the country in mourning France's humiliating exit from Euro 2008 On the morning after the night before, the French newspaper headlines are inevitably screaming for the head of the national team's coach, Raymond Domenech Fri, 27 Jun 2008 12:39:53 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/159183/french-press-call-for-domenechs-head-after-france-exit-euro-2008.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/157520/spring-cleaning-in-the-summer-at-the-local-brocante.htm It was an opportunity that was too good to pass up - a chance for a jolly good clear out of all the junk that had been gathering dust in the attic forever with the added bonus thrown in of making a few cents into the bargain There's a tradition here in France every summer for villages and towns up and down the country to throw open their doors so-to-speak and welcome the... Tue, 24 Jun 2008 12:33:49 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/157520/spring-cleaning-in-the-summer-at-the-local-brocante.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/156166/boonen-banned-from-tour-de-france.htm Belgium's former world cycling champion, Tom Boonen, has been forced out of this year's Tour de France The rider was barred after it was revealed that he had tested positive for cocaine use outside of competition in May Sat, 21 Jun 2008 14:00:47 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/156166/boonen-banned-from-tour-de-france.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/155704/france-faces-fine-over-lack-of-hamster-love.htm Weird but true, France is being threatened with a €17 million penalty if it doesn't clean up its act and come up with a strategy to save the European hamster, one of the continent's most threatened species Last week the European Commission, the executive branch of the 27-member European Union, gave France a two-month deadline or else it would have to cough up the whopping... Fri, 20 Jun 2008 15:11:55 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/155704/france-faces-fine-over-lack-of-hamster-love.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/154702/a-bore-draw-when-two-times-zero-equals-one.htm The French have rather an appropriate expression for a football game that ends in a draw - "match nul" And that just about sums up the general sentiment after France's opening 0-0 non-thriller against Romania at Euro 2008 Thu, 19 Jun 2008 02:25:47 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/154702/a-bore-draw-when-two-times-zero-equals-one.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/154616/ferrari-to-return-as-ppda-is-given-the-boot.htm One of France's top news anchors, Patrick Poivre d'Arvor, will bid farewell to viewers this summer and be replaced by the darling of the French media, Laurence Ferrari PPDA as he is more affectionately known has been a familiar face on prime time news for more than three decades Wed, 18 Jun 2008 23:46:44 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/154616/ferrari-to-return-as-ppda-is-given-the-boot.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/151463/carla-bruni-sarkozy-speaks-out.htm It's just what France (and the world) has been waiting for - the real story behind the marriage of the French president, Nicolas Sarkozy, and his third wife Carla And that's exactly what it's going to get on Thursday - apparently - with the release of a new book "La Véritable Histoire de Carla et Nicolas" Thu, 12 Jun 2008 16:19:28 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/151463/carla-bruni-sarkozy-speaks-out.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/151026/dati-does-u-turn-on-virginity-annulment-marriage.htm The French justice minister, Rachida Dati, has once again shown that she has a less than a firm grasp of her job by doing a complete volte face in a case that has been making the headlines here in France over the past week On Monday Dati asked the public prosecutors office to appeal a court ruling, which had annulled a marriage because the wife had lied about being a virgin Thu, 12 Jun 2008 02:53:53 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/151026/dati-does-u-turn-on-virginity-annulment-marriage.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/150545/lyon-theres-no-s-in-french.htm It's about 450kms from Paris to Lyon (or Lyons if your prefer in English) but forget about the four-and-a-half hour drive and instead save money, time and the environment by taking the high-speed TGV train service After all, the journey time is just under two hours Wed, 11 Jun 2008 09:33:49 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/150545/lyon-theres-no-s-in-french.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/150221/martine-aubry-the-lady-in-waiting.htm She might have been absent from national politics for the past eight years, but now a one-time leading light of the Socialist party, Martine Aubry, appears to be back in favour Aubry is being touted - not least by herself - as a figure behind which activists could unite in the tussle for the leadership of the party due in November Tue, 10 Jun 2008 15:33:24 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/150221/martine-aubry-the-lady-in-waiting.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/147517/frances-virgin-obsessed-serial-killer-gets-life.htm After a high profile trial lasting two months, a court in northeastern France on Wednesday found Michel Fourniret, the country's most notorious serial killer in decades, guilty on seven counts of murder and sentenced him to life imprisonment His wife, Monique Olivier, was also sentenced to 28 years behind bars for complicity Fri, 06 Jun 2008 10:47:03 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/147517/frances-virgin-obsessed-serial-killer-gets-life.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/146488/a-nouvel-skyscraper-for-paris.htm The French capital is to get just what it needs to set it apart from the rest of the globe's major cities - a new 300-metre skyscraper set to challenge the world-famous Eiffel tower's domination of the city's skyline France's very own Jean Nouvel fought off competition from four other world class architects to be awarded the commission to construct the new Signal tower Thu, 05 Jun 2008 12:54:03 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/146488/a-nouvel-skyscraper-for-paris.htm