chessfou2

If you do not subscribe to fibre, then nothing should change. If you subscribe to fibre, then you will get some kind of Livebox connected to the fibre and your telephone will pass through the fibre optic cable (the Orange Livebox 5 has two telephone outlets at the back of the box, although one will likely be sufficient!). You can discuss the details with the commercial supplier (most often Orange) when you sign up (if you do). We are looking forward to 6 May (with some trepidation, because of complications with the configuration of house/cables) and the installation here. The three of us use up to 5 computers at a time and we should get something like a 13x increase in internet speed.

At the beginning of Covid, something like 27/29 UK doctors who died were BAME. Their 'unions'/associations quickly sent out recommendations that their colleagues increase their vitamin D intake. Something very similar happened in Sweden, many of the deaths being among those from Somalia. Darker skins make less Vitamin D (assuming skin is exposed to sunlight). So, the same applies very much to those from Maghreb/elsewhere in Africa (difference 33%-36% is not statistically significant).

I decided to renew my UK passport (expires next month). In addition to the £105+ fee, there is the little matter of getting something like 34 colour photocopies (every page, including the blank ones, of my two other passports). OK, that won't break the bank, but it's a pain (I don't have a colour printer) and will have to do (at least) a 14-16 km round trip to get them done. Then there's the small matter of posting them, together with the old passport. That will be another 14-16 km trip to the post office. I reckon the total cost will end up close to what I would have to pay to renew BOTH my other passports, thankfully not necessary for 5&9 years respectively).

I think that 3 of them are 'sans papiers'. Here is the petition to sign: https://www.change.org/p/monsieur-le-pr%C3%A9sident-de-la-r%C3%A9publique-honneur-et-reconnaissance-pour-les-h%C3%A9ros-de-la-botti%C3%A8re

In 1987 we moved out of London to a town (-100.000) just over 100km away. In London, our local (Ham & High) featured at least one murder per week. Despite razor wire and 'prison grilles' we were burgled. In the town we moved to, the local rag, in the week after our move, featured a report of the theft of a video recorder. When we left that area, to move to France, we again escaped reports of regular murders to the quiet of rural France. In 15 years here, we have not heard of so much as a burglary.

[quote user="anotherbanana"]I notice that the writer did not include Oxford amongst the Universities making huge progress. .[/quote] Not at all, The big splash in the video was Harvard (Moderna), Mayence = Mainz (BioNTech - Pfizer) & Oxford (AZN).

[quote user="NormanH"]An interesting video from LeMonde https://www.lemonde.fr/planete/video/2021/02/21/vaccins-contre-le-covid-19-pourquoi-la-france-accuse-t-elle-un-tel-retard_6070716_3244.html [/quote] Thanks, a very interesting spot that I missed, in spite of my sub to LeM. Bizarre to see France #35 on that list (following #34 Azerbaijan!). Also, with the Plan de relance - France €6 milliards in comparison with Germany €60 milliards in this area. Yet, there are many, many start-ups (even if not specifically in this area) as witnessed by most editions (here in Occitanie) of FR's 12-13 (first half).

Do you not watch TV or read Le Monde??!! Loads & loads of politics, for example France 3 - dimanche en politique (preceded by dimanche en politique in your region). C politique. etc., etc. I think there's more on French TV than UK, but can't be sure because I don't watch much of the latter.

I would be very surprised if it was possible to open a new UK CC account. When we emigrated (2006) there were already various banks with which we could not maintain accounts. It was also fairly certain that we would never be able to open any new accounts. Worst was for our son - 'accidental' closure of UK account - no possibility of re-opening it (that was about 2014-15).

So many journalists, especially in the local press (but even Le Monde) seem to see themselves as the new Hugo (or Houellebecq) and produce 'odd' or even unintelligible prose.

I most certainly do not make your point! Your point was "The truth is what you believe." *That* is nonsense (and leads down the ugly path of QAnon). As I said, the truth is the truth - as always extremely difficult to ascertain. Have you actually heard of les Lumières?

Thanks, NH, for the link. I always prefer data to PR!

So, you think the majority (or something like) in Ireland are in favour of Irexit? The majority of French in favour of Frexit? Not even the majority of people in the UK were in favour of Brexit! And if that is not what you are on about, what are you on about?

"I am not at all sure that albf qualifies as 'you lot over there'" Agreed - more like them lot over here!

Frexit - the wet dream of Brexiters, but more likely than the idea of Irexit! Astonishingly, Irexit is often mentioned by Brexiters (English) and about 3 people in Ireland.

No, the truth is not what I (or you) believe (that is modern cr*p). The truth is the truth - as always extremely difficult to ascertain. At least, here in France, there is still a tradition to follow - Les Lumières!

Oh, I do so wish that our factures could disappear (or go round in circles), but our (new) facteur is OK, even if not up to the standard of the last two (about 10 years between the two!). One of my favourite typos!

Before we emigrated (2006), we did a lot of research. We had to close some accounts (even then not available to EU residents) and had to ensure (as best we could) that we opened (before our move) accounts that were likely to endure. Thus far, we have had no problem with our Nationwide accounts (one each), our NatWest joint account, nor my wife's Smile account. Of course, nothing is guaranteed for the future (banking 'equivalence' etc).

Personally, I would fight with all my might against any medical intervention whatsoever being made compulsory. This is especially so with anything presented as being '90% effective' (when the promoter is citing relative efficacity). That 90% 'relative' efficacity (not 'absolute') - simple explanation: one group of 1,000 receives vaccine, other group of 1,000 receives placebo (hopefully; one of the trials used a meningococcal vaccine instead of a placebo!!), only one of the vaccinated comes down with Covid, against ten in the placebo group; result 1/10 = 90% relative, but actually 0.9% (absolute 9/1000). Which means that the vaccine ('90% efficacity') actually works (or did in its trial) for about one person in a hundred. There is no scientific justification to make that compulsory, only emotion (& PR). Which does not necessarily mean that I will decline a vaccine (depends a lot which one) when it comes my turn, but in the meantime, there are ways of assisting the immune system which are more than 1% effective (absolute).

"Anyone who has ever tried to lose weight by dieting will know it's the equivalent of hell on earth." Not necessarily, when I (123kg) went low-carb 2011.10, I dropped effortlessly to 85kg 15 months later and stayed there for three years, but ... then the ethanol intake went up ... "keeping off some alcohol is wise as it can contain high levels of carbohydrates" It's not just the carbohydrates. The problem is that the liver becomes preoccupied with the ethanol and so everything else gets stored away until the ethanol is completely dealt with. At a certain level of ethanol, the weight just piles (back) on.

I've been watching Dix pour cent - now up to S1:E6. Complete rubbish, but well-acted and very enjoyable rubbish! I suppose that I should add Lupin to the 'ToDo' list.

PS. To practice for the test, probably the best site (free) is TV5 Monde. They specifically cover the TCF but DELF is very similar (and there are some excellent books, with CD for that - Réussir le DELF ...). https://apprendre.tv5monde.com/fr

Precise details vary from one préfecture to another (so check the website for yours), but generally, the language certificate needs to be included in the dossier. Consider taking the DELF - it is valid for life, which can be handy given the time it takes for some to complete the assault course. For me (and my wife), it was comparatively fast - 27 months from start to finish (22 months from interview). Some préfectures can take 5 years! You also need to demonstrate reasonable proficiency (NOT fluency) at the interview.

Where to start? 1. Why? 2. Level of French (B1? B2? at least!), then 3. ... PS. We moved here 15 years ago (after 4 years of detailed research) and are VERY happy that we did so, but we started with those 2 Qs.

I have just completed the demand on ANTS for a replacement (on the grounds of détérioration); I'm still in one piece but 'pages' 1&2 of my licence are hanging by a single thread and 'page' 3 has completely shuffled off this mortal coil.