Doctor was better paid (not so much, but better) then 15 years old guy who has no degree.
I will not descuss about quality of medical care or hospitals, but it was better then in 3 d world countries. And, I think, people prefer to have at least some medical attention then nothing!
Communism was a sistem, not a kind of religión. Many people understood it was wrong but they couldn't do or change anything!
But I understand your point of view, Booz,in the past and now there is an opinion we are vandals living in barbaric country. But from female point of view better Vovka then burka!

Booz wrote: North Africa became muslim in the early 7th century, the Turks came only in 1516 and even it was limited to the main ports like Algiers.

The French never "decided that Berber people should adopt islam and arab culture". Do you think they would be so stupid?

It's wrong, you should go back to school and learn a little more about History of North-Africa. Read some books written by Bernard Lugan to begin with.
North-Africa did not became muslim overnight in the 7th century.
And the what so called "Hilalian invasion" was only effective in Egypt and East part of Libya.
As a matter of fact Islam was just introduced at that time by arab merchants and gain popularity among disciples of Arius and Donatists. That's all.
Islam became very serious with the ottoman turks in North-Africa, the same it did in some eastern countries.
French people do not care that much about Berber culture and Berber people.
French people are probably not stupid but they are definitely ignorant.

Heya! We are! Happy New Year, dear Booz!

If Napoleon III was not dreaming about having his "arab kingdom",
the culture of Berber people would have been less in struggle today.
If the ottoman turks never colonized North-Africa Napoleon III would'nt have been able to fulfill his crazy and insane dream of an "arab kingdom" that became today an "arab world".
(And with ifs we can put the Eiffel tower in a bottle.)
Napoleon III have created monsters and now those monsters are turning against their creators.
The ottoman turks gave France and Napoleon III a bloodstained red carpet.

Hahaha, even given how annoying "Vovka's" stupid face is, this is hilarious.

la France , c'est comme l'histoire de l'homme qui saute du 7ème étage et qui en regardant les étages passés un à un dit, " jusqu'ici tout va bien ", le problème c'est qu'à force de se voiler la face, de faire du politiquement correct, de faire de l'assistanat pour acheter la paix sociale, on a créé une bombe sur laquelle on est assis...

Ce début d'année se devait d' être joyeux, avec le 7 janvier, date de début des soldes.
Mais non ! Il a fallut encore que des fous de dieu foutent le bordel !
Je vais raconter une histoire à la manière de Curious George.
Cela fait quelque années déjà de cela, une fois parmi d'autres, je suis monté sur Paris, et en prenant le métro, j'ai vu Cabu qui était assis juste en face de moi.
Je n'ai pas osé le déranger car il était en train de dessiner et je n'ai pas osé non plus lui demander un autographe à cause d'une certaine timidité sans doute.
Je me souviens aussi d'un film qui a été rediffusé sur la TNT avec Coluche,
le titre c'était "Inspecteur la bavure" tiré d'une BD de Cabu.
En ce qui concerne ce film, c'est le fameux " fifille... fifille" qui me fais toujours autant marrer et aussi la présence d'un certain Gérard Depardieu.

Toutes mes pensées et mes condoléances aux familles et proches des victimes...
et un grand merci pour Cabu, pour qui j'ai une affection particulière.

The problem is not the 'extremists'. It is sad they are there but they will always be there. We are talking religions ..
The question is not so much why they did it. The question is why they did it in France (though it could have been Belgium, Holland, Sweden etc.)? This was not done by some crazy non speaking French terrorist coming from whatever Arab country. This is done by guys living in France!! Guys/scum that are welcomed by a Western country! This is all about different values. God/Allah knows I hate religion but you cannot stop people to believe or to interpret a religion in whatever way suits them. But what you can do is stop them to do it in a country with different values. As long as these left soft Western politicians will welcome these scumbags under the umbrella of ' diversity ' than this will continue to happen. The mayor of Rotterdam says that if they do not like our values they should just leave. NO, we should not have let them in in the first place. And now we should not say they should leave but we should make them leave. It is a matter of respecting the place you go to. Yes, I think you should be able to make fun of any religion. But when I am in Afghanistan I will not do it because there I should follow there rules. And although I despite them this is the only way how it can work.
All Muslims should be welcomed in the Western world if they are ready to accept the local rules. Even if it means that there is no Halal food but pork on the menu. Why would the West have to change their traditions and values?
And yes, in Saudi Arabia I will not demand pork or alcohol.
I agree with Olga C that the communists where doing not a bad job with ' no religion'.
Though today here in Russia religion is powerful. There is one thing the government (that I hate) does well: they protect the Russian values and they do not bend for Muslims. Muslims are welcome here but in general (sure there is Grozny etc) they adapt themselves because the system does not bend over for that ridiculous poison which is called positive discrimination.

liabatyd

Amen to that