Poodles, pudge, and the French Paradox

Maybe it's the pain au chocolat I just ate, or the Intermediate II class I taught pre-pastry, but today's post will be about all things French.

First, there is this amazing story about, yes, a violent, "clinically depressed" French poodle attacking its owner, Jacques Chirac. Never has a certain one of this blog's tags been more appropriate.

Then (via Clementine) there's the controversy at Jezebel and elsewhere over what to do about the fact that French women live off wine, lardons, tobacco and (surprisingly) beer, yet all (goes the myth) live to be 100 and die looking better than health-conscious American women do at 18. Can it be?

The French paradox is much-covered territory here at WWPD. On the one hand, as an American, I want to believe the myth about Frenchwomen comes from the fact that Americans associate France with Paris, whereas for whatever reason the French don't associate the US with New York, and that, outside these two cities, we're looking at two overweight countries. On the other hand, a) every French person, noble or paysan has, what with the Euro, visited New York, helped to empty out a branch of Shoemania, and, in the process, noticed that even in New York, Americans are overweight, and b) cellulite 'cures' are to Western Europe what weight-loss techniques are to the States. And cellulite is, when it comes down to it, a thin woman's concern.