Chris
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Posts posted by Chris
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A PA report on the polls as influenced by the referendum issue:"According to the ComRes study 46% of Britons would vote to leave the European Union in a referendum now, compared with 24% who would stay in. But if some powers were returned to the UK from Brussels 43% would vote to remain in the EU, with just 24% determined to see Britain leave."http://uk.news.yahoo.com/ukip-hits-opinion-poll-high-19-183533975.html#A82OLIf
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Naether's comments years ago were amazing enough coming from such a credible source. Whatever one's views of Mandleson's revelation, there can now be no doubt it was deliberate strategy. My first thought was 'why did he admit it, and why now?'
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A very interesting article - thanks. People across the world have been experiencing the worst economic downturn for many decades, so the resultant pessimism is going to colour perceptions.Personally, I'm amazed that EU leaders have held the Euro together for this long, despite all the predictions by pundits some 12-18 months ago. If the Euro fails, everyone - irrespective of their political stance - will suffer, as it would trigger a global economic crisis. We could all do without that.
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TA certainly seems to be a useful resource for visitors. I guess as you say, the knack is filtering out the less genuine posts.
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What I find staggering about this whole issue is the absence of hard data. About 18 months ago, I emailed all my MEPs and asked if there was a business or economic analysis for the cost/benefits of EU membership. All replied 'no'.Having managed business and organisations for most of my career, I've got used to the idea that you can't buy a piece of IT; a boiler - whatever - without a cost/benefit analysis. The fact that no-one seems to have undertaken a cost/benefit analysis of the economics of EU membership is breathtaking.The result is that the debate is reduced to the filters of the observer and one's inbuilt biases. We all have biases, and more often than not, we seek evidence to support our existing position. I'm not pro or anti membership - I would just like to see some hard facts, rather than the spin put out by politicos and 'leaders'. Then I could make an informed decision.
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Thanks for that - much appreciated. Chris
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Five weeks to go before our holiday in Alpes-Maritimes - we can't wait. One of our sons is hiring a car when he arrives a few days after us, so we'll be booking a taxi from Nice airport to Cabris (the flight arrives at 17h35).This firm charges £75 for pre-booked transport x2 of us: http://www.shuttledirect.com/en/php/airport_shuttle_direct.php Has anyone heard good, bad, or indifferent re pre-booked firms, as opposed to turfing up at the taxi rank? ThanksChris
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What's the view from France?"But figures published by the Office for National Statistics suggest that the nation's love affair with the chateaux of the Dordogne and the patisseries of Paris may be on the wane, with visitor numbers having slumped by a fifth in four years.The ONS's annual survey of travel trends found that British visitors to France numbered 8.8 million in 2012, well down on the 2008 figure of 10.9 million. Even more gallingly for the Gauls, while visits to North America were also down last year by 7.5% to 3.4 million, Spain, Belgium, Italy and Norway all saw the number of British visitors rise, with 2.3 million more Britons visiting Spain than France last year.The reasons for the cooling of our French love affair were not clear, said Roger Smith, principal researcher for the ONS and the report's author. Thanks to a combination of the Olympics, the Jubilee and the wettest April to June on record, 2012 was "an unusual year", he said."http://www.guardian.co.uk/travel/2013/apr/19/french-holidays-britons
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Sunny? 19.2C in the SHADE? Swine! ;0)
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What the heck. Memories are the flavour of an otherwise drab life! I've no idea what's being talked about, which is what makes it nice.
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Thanks, all. We're off to the Alpes-Maritimes in June, but are already thinking about destinations for next year! Food for thought.
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[quote user="sweet 17"]
[quote user="Chris"]My wife and I enjoy MD's programmes, especially French Gardens. As we live in England, it's a nice way to 'tour' France.[/quote]
If you want to "tour" France, I suggest that you watch the Tour de France this summer. Believe me, it's better than any travelogue, especially if you watch it on French TV. I don't know what your French is like but, even if it's no better than mine, you'd understand enough to thoroughly enjoy it.
[/quote]Funnily enough, we watched it for the first time last year, on Sky. We're not cyclists, but were riveted by the almost meditative quality of the thing, as well as being gob smacked by the beauty of the scenery. What a beautiful country! I'm learning French (still basic) but I did pick up certain phrases. -
In case anyone is considering Rosetta Stone: I have started having 40-minute French tutor sessions each week, as a means of getting face-to-face practice. The tutor says that I'm more advanced than he would have expected after 8 months, so I feel the investment in RS was worth it.
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I was just reading in an older thread that Trip Advisor can be a bit iffy in terms of reliability. A useful caution, as I was using it to plan for our trip to the Alpes-Maritimes.
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My wife and I enjoy MD's programmes, especially French Gardens. As we live in England, it's a nice way to 'tour' France.
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Is the above a Safari thing?! It looked fine on preview...My reply was in response to: "our GP should be able to send you the information required."
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[quote user="idun"]your GP should be able to send you the information required. [/quote]UK GP records are available in full, on request. There is an admin fee (usually no more than £10) but more if copious notes need printing off that cover a long period of time.
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My team served me cheval steak years ago when we were in France (unknown to me). I knew something was up when I was served first at the BBQ... I then thought 'this is nice'. Good stuff, cheval.
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[quote user="Quillan"]
[quote user="PaulT"]Back on the American theme some, after 9/11 (should really be 11/9), could not understand how the whole world did not love them.[/quote]
Even though they had been sponsoring terrorism in so many countries like Ireland by actively collecting money from the IRA who again went on, just like the UDF (who were funded by dubious English sources), to kill innocent men, women and children. America is the last country in the world who should give advice on terrorism but then you reap what you sow I guess.
[/quote] True enough. Try walking into a bar in Boston with an English accent. Moe than one minute felt reckless. -
The French forces:"Yesterday’s raid to free him was carried out by France’s DGSE secret service, and took place in the small hours of the morning in the remote desert settlement of Bulomarer, 70 miles south of the Somali capital, Mogadishu. In an initial statement, the French ministry of defence defended the raid, which it said met with extreme violence from the kidnappers. “Faced with the intransigence of the terrorists who have refused any negotiations for three and a half years, and who have kept Denis Allex in inhumane conditions, an operation was planned and put into action.“The commande unit of the DGSE was faced with strong resistance. In the course of the assault, Denis Allex was killed by his captors. In trying to free their compatriot, two soldiers lost their lives and 17 terrorists were also killed.”However, in a news conference later yesterday, Mr Le Drian, the defence minister, said that the exact picture was still unclear, indicating that the raid had ended in chaotic circumstances."http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/africaandindianocean/somalia/9797992/Hunt-for-missing-soldier-after-failed-hostage-rescue.html
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[quote user="Val_2"]I was shocked by the news report that the french soldiers who had come under fire had retreated and left a comrade(s) behind on the ground, I thought soldiers looked out for their own and never left anyone behind, just my opinion and I suppose we don't know the full facts nor the circumstances of the retreat. The chap the others went to rescue in Somalia was a french agent, suppose you go into that type of profession knowing the possible consequences and putting other lives in danger or not? What a total messup[/quote]I've not been able to discover which regiment is involved. I assume La Légion étrangère and if so, it would be unusual for them to leave a man behind, although in the heat of battle, all things are possible.
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[quote user="idun"][quote user="PaulT"][quote user="Quillan"]
You have to admit probably the most patriotic country when it come to 'bashing' is America. Bash them a millions bash you back even if they are wrong.
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Oooh I can agree totally with that. I once made what was really a comment to a very good American friend and Hell was unleashed on me. I was firmly told by her that she can criticise her country but I could not. She was quite happy to criticise the UK.
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French friends have said there should be another revolution for years. At the moment, I can sort of believe that they really would mean it.
And an american saying that? PaulT how dare she. America needs criticising a lot these days, it isn't is if they have offered the world peace, security and enlightenment is it.
[/quote] Most of them believe so, based on the friends and business colleagues I know there. Oh if the world was so simple... -
Interesting. So - a quiet news day, then eh?
June - warmth and variety
in Holidays
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