The Art of Protest: An American Perspective on the French Retirement Strikes

The whole debacle started with a proposal by French left-wing president Emmanuel Macron to raise the age required to receive government retirement pension from 62 to 64. Given that you need to be 67 to receive your full social security pension in the United States, I was shocked to hear that this was even an issue. Now I am by no means a French legal expert, so I cannot speak much in depth of the debate on this issue. However, while retirement at 62 seems fanciful to me, I too would be furious if I had been promised it and then the president (who is quite wealthy) proposed taking it from me. 

This was the general reaction of the French public, and they expressed their anger in the way that they knew best: strikes. However, French strikes are not quite the same as those seen in America. They are typically the first step of a bargaining process, rather than a last resort. Whereas American unions tend to hold out on declaring a strike in hopes that an agreement will be reached, the French public start with strikes, almost as a reminder to the government or powerful company that they are the ones who truly hold the power, often before negotiations are made. Thus, the moment the retirement reform was proposed, the French had taken to the streets in protest in Paris. This mass public movement overtook the entirety of France, and by January 19, a national strike was declared. Not a single tram was running in the city of Montpellier where I live. Few buses were running and most businesses were closed. 

Another difference between French and American strikes that typically occur, is that French strikes have a declared end date. Whatever unions involved will declare a strike for a 24 or 72-hour period, and then business will resume as normal. This was the case at the beginning of the strikes. After a total shutdown on Thursday, everything was back up and running on Friday. However, the reason most strikes in France last a brief predetermined time is because they remind those in power of their place (in service of the people) and lead to successful bargaining and resolution. However, in this case, the French government did not stand down. Thus, another strike was announced the following week, and then the next, but the French government did not stand down, so the protests intensified.

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Timeless or Touristy?: What to do (and What to Skip) on a Winter Trip to Switzerland

By Madelynn Loring, Staff Writer

Switzerland is said to have invented the concept of winter tourism. It is the place to go in Europe for folks looking for a ski vacation or a cozy winter get-together. But there’s much to see beyond the slopes, which is what drew my father and me to this destination during my mid-semester break at the end of February.

Before I get into this article, let me make it abundantly clear that Switzerland is not a trip for everyone, especially in the winter. In the other places I’ve written about, there are things that could appeal to a huge genre of people. However, many of Switzerland’s largest tourist drives, such as the Matterhorn mountain, Aletsch glacier, and funicular railways have limited access during the winter or are closed entirely. That being said, it is the go-to in terms of winter sports getaways in Europe and also boasts a number of winter-friendly tourist attractions including museums, castles, and historic rail lines. If you are a ski buff, or if you are like me and my father (read: obsessed with trains, boats, and ruins), Switzerland is definitely the place for you, though there may be some benefit to going in the spring or summer if you are a part of the latter group. 

One more quick disclaimer before we dive into it: be aware that Switzerland is one of the most expensive places to travel in Europe, as it is not a part of the EU, and thus is in a much different place economically than member countries. Be sure you look into this before you go on a trip and make sure you budget accordingly because it’s one thing to hear about it and another thing entirely when the cheapest meal you can find is a 16 CHF burger (roughly $17). 

With that out of the way, let’s get into the trip. My father and I spent a week traveling throughout Switzerland, visiting the cities of Montreux, Gruyère, Interlaken/Brig, Chur, St. Moritz, and Geneva. While it was initially in our plans to visit the Matterhorn in Zermatt as well as the Aletsch glacier, we, unfortunately, ran afoul in terms of weather, making neither of these locations worth the trip in terms of both visibility and activity closures.

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Peeling Back the Layers – The Brilliance behind Rian Johnson’s Newest film, Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery

By Austin Price, Staff Writer

In November of 2019, a new film of a lesser-known genre shocked the world with its intricate plot, star-studded cast, and complex writing. This film was Rian Johnson’s Knives Out. Featuring A-list actors including Daniel Craig, Chris Evans, Ana De Armas, and Jamie Lee Curtis; Knives Out is a murder mystery masterpiece with unexpected plot twists, elaborate details, and clever character development. Knives Out brought new life to a seemingly dead genre of murder mysteries while also incorporating dark comedy and thriller crime. 

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Pretty in Pink: A Review of the Hello Kitty Grand Cafe

By Sandra Vo, Staff Writer

Photos by Sandra Vo

Located in the middle of California’s Irvine Spectrum Center, past the swarm of joyfully hollering children and carnival music emitting from the Ferris Wheel Speakers, lies a quiet sanctuary for Hello Kitty lovers everywhere. The Hello Kitty Grand Cafe proudly boasts a pink and white canopy, sleek pink windows, and a logo with Hello Kitty herself sitting in front of a coffee cup. 

Inside, the cafe is decorated just as sweetly as its exterior. Upon entering, guests are met with clean, white walls and several spots for a photo opportunity, such as the Hello Kitty sprinkle wallpaper or the statue of Hello Kitty in the corner. There are two sections of the cafe, one of which is the regular coffee storefront and another room in the back, which is reserved for the special afternoon tea set. 

Since the afternoon tea set was about $60 a person, I decided to stay within the main coffee area. There’s a window that shows the donut making process of the cafe, likely to entice customers with its smell and appearance. The service is friendly and eager, dressed in a pink Hello Kitty apron appropriate with the theme. 

On the day of my visit, I was disappointed to hear that they had already run out of one of the cafe’s specials, the strawberry dream smoothie, even though it was less than an hour since they had opened. However, I was able to get a cappuccino and the strawberry cake. The cappuccino had the classic “Hello Kitty” face drawn on the top with cocoa powder. 

As for the strawberry cake, it was decorated in a white frosting that was so thick and hard that it resembled a candy coating. Unfortunately, it was nearly unbearably sweet, although the portion was a decent size for ten dollars. There was an artificial taste to the jelly inside of the cake, but perhaps its appearance can excuse the poor flavor. 

Overall, the Hello Kitty cafe is a pleasant visual experience if not dining, but should still remain on the bucket list for any Hello Kitty fans or people looking to visit themed cafes.

Timeless or Touristy?: What to do (and What to Skip) on a Trip to Paris

By Madelynn Loring, Staff Writer

Paris is simply the place to go in France for Americans. In fact, when I first announced that I was studying abroad, the first thing everyone said was, “In Paris?” I definitely disappointed folks when I said that no, I was going to a smaller city in southern France, unheard of by Americans, called Montpellier. Regardless, I have been so fortunate as to have been able to catch a couple trains to Paris for weekend trips, so I figured I would share my experience with certain popular attractions, and offer my insight on whether they’re worth it, or too touristy.

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Consuming True Crime Intentionally: What to Follow and What to Avoid

With an endless supply of true crime content, I personally believe it is both moral and necessary to understand where you are getting your true crime content from, and how that content is affecting the real-life people involved. 

Choose your true crime content wisely. There are certain programs and producers of true crime content looking to benefit from horrific stories without proper consent from the victims, causing additional grief and inappropriate attention towards the victim’s families. Fans of true crime often forget they are listening to stories that happened to real people in this real world and in turn, lack sympathy and respect for all involved in a case. 

Because the plethora of true crime content can become overwhelming and confusing regarding victim exploitation instead of victim advocacy, I have put together a list of true crime content to follow, and a list of true crime content to avoid. 

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