And a happy New Year

What is it with the French and Car-Be-Queus? New Year was celebrated in the traditional fashion in Alsace. Crowds of youths gathered round open fires in the streets of Strasbourg and Colmar and warmed themselves on ignited private property.

Dozens of cars were set alight in France’s eastern Alsace region during the New Year celebrations overnight yesterday.In the city of Strasbourg alone, 50 vehicles were set alight, French radio in Strasbourg reported.However, the situation was contained and there were no reports of clashes between gangs of youths and police.In Upper Alsace and in Colmar, known for its social problems, 46 vehicles were set alight and eight people were arrested.

Would it be predudicial to wonder exactly what those social problems were, after al the article goes into no details. However it does tell us about a remarkable new technological developement in fire fighting.

We all know about drones, those unmanned aircraft that can be hooked up with cameras and weaponry in order to provide security to our forces.

The police deployed so-called drones to curb the attacks. The small unmanned planes can put out flames from 500m.

The riots are nothing new in France indeed, "Sociologists refer to such events on New Year’s Eve as a “French speciality”.

Though not so special that the Germans can't join in.