One of my friends drives for Uber and because he drives his mom's Beamer, he's an Uber-Premium driver. He says he gets a lot of nice and interesting customers. He mentioned a couple he picked up a few days ago who were celebrating because they had just been approved for Japanese citizenship. They had to invest $5,000,000 in Japan to get the citizenship and they'll have to give up their U.S. citizenship. They mentioned they mostly just wanted to get their money out of the U.S. because they fear Trump. I would have liked to have talked to them to find out more.After Trump announced he was pulling the U.S. out of the Paris Climate Accord, French President Emmanuel Macron invited American scientists to come work in Paris. Canada has also been very encouraging to skilled workers. France has since put up an official Make Our Planet Great Again website which encourages American teachers, researchers, entrepreneurs, etc to relocate to France. I started filling out their form and got this page:
Your new homeland.With a number of Nobel Prizes and Fields medals, leading research universities, top ranked research bodies (CNRS #1 Nature Index worldwide, CEA #2 Thomson Reuters Innovation, etc.), top-level research infrastructure and laboratories as well as an effervescent startup ecosystem, France is a home for excellence in science and innovation.France is a driving force of science and technology in Europe, with a strong involvement in the H2020 program.France‘s laboratories are particularly active and among the world leaders in the previously mentioned scientific domains: non-exhaustive examples include a leading position in climate modeling intercomparison exercises, earth observation as part of the ESA, or in advanced solar photovoltaics and breakthrough energy storage solutions.France is at the forefront of future innovation and industry, notably green tech and green finance that will keep driving growth and meet the targets of the Paris Agreement.More than ever, France enjoys unique structural strengths that make it one of the most competitive countries in Europe for science and innovation: 2nd European economy, most dynamic European country in terms of demography, a productive, well-educated and well-trained workforce, most attractive R&D intensity level in Europe, unique central position, high levels of infrastructure, solid financial environment, favorable lifestyle environment, etc.On top of these structural advantages, researchers and university professors will find a welcoming environment to help them fulfill their goals and reach great scientific achievements.International researchers and university professors, France is here for you!
And then this page about eligibility and how to apply and get a research grant. Stuff like this: "Senior researcher: Up to 1.5M€ for 4 years grant (salary + 2 working staff + 2 students + working expenses) allowing to develop projects within and benefiting from the hosting laboratory environment."Yes you can apply for a 4 year all expenses grant that includes a work visa and residency permit. And there's this: "You will be able to stay in France at least for the duration of the grant, and longer if you are granted a permanent position. There is no restriction on your husband / wife working in France. If you have children, note that French public schools are free, and the tuition fees of universities and grandes écoles are very low compared to the American system."Sunday, Macron's party won an immense first round victory in the French parliamentary elections. The run-off will be next Sunday, June 18. In all 577 members are being chosen. Macron's party En Marche! wound up with 6,390,871 votes (32.32%), followed by the center right Republicans with 3,573,398 (15.77%), the fascist National Front with 2,990,613 (13.20%), Jean-Luc Mélenchon's left-wing La France Insoumise with 2,497,663 (11.02%) and the center left Socialist Party with 1,685,808 votes (7.44%). No other parties broken a million. It looks like Macron's party is on track to win between 415 and 455 seats of the 577-- which would be the biggest parliamentary majority for a single party since World War II.