Miki

I too am also getting "things" that don't work on the new forum, does anyone member know for sure, that everything that is meant to work, does so for them? I didn't know that sigs don't work for some people. Surely then, if a lot of the system is not working, then it really is not much use and needs to be sent back, so to speak. Perhaps it is basically a free "forum system" that has plenty of  known, as well as unknown gliches, if it is not "free" then I personally would want plenty of time by the "owners of the sytem" to be spent correcting something that perhaps wasn't broke in the first place !!   

Why do we need pictures, icons, etc which ony increase all the trivial postings. We probably don't but many people do like them, I can't answer why we have them but as we do, I have one and so have others, there are two choices, you do or you don't use one. What harm is there in having one ? What really peeves you about it Bob? and how do they increase trivial postings? I certainly think this site in general, is the least trivial of all French forums, sure there is triviality, that's life, imagine standing in a pub where only serious chat from professionals is allowed. Watch the dive for the doors when the anoraks come out to bore you with their daily routine job, thinking everyone is interested. So you ignore what you don't want to listen to and chat with those you want to (subsitute chat for post for this forum) From being a source of useful information for moving to/living in France, this Forum is losing the good professionals who contributed and is being replaced by trivia from posters who seem more concerned with the number of postings that they make and diverting threads to completely irrelevant areas (generally football!) rather than offering any useful advice. Other members arrive as other members go. Questions are still being answered, it's all part of life, nothing stays forever. You are still building, something I gave up when I arrived here (a rarity eh!) and you will too one day, life goes on. Trivia has been on here ever since I can remember and you will never stop idle chit chat, either on here or out in the everyday life. I have to say that I seem to be one of the only ones (along with a few others) that talks about the "great game" mostly in the post bag, where isn't, anything goes, the keyword, or have I misinterpretated what the post bag is for?  So I would guess your remark has to include me? When the forum was going through a period of signatures or not, I had some strong arguments going with the mods about allowing "sigs" for all those that helped others on the forum and so in my mind, deserved to have their "sigs" on show. I very much supported the likes of you and the other builders and trades, a lot of it was done in private and at times it got a little heated but the Mods and Admin were slowly turned as a whole to agreeing with all of us that argued for "sigs" so that members whose help, often invaluable, could use their "sigs".  So my point is really, just because we don't agree with what people want on the forum, think of the others as well who do want certain things. I really felt "sigs" should be allowed to be used but didn't plan to use one myself, so it was not to my benefit was it. Mind you Bob, all that discussing to get sigs on, please get your one to work  "live" at least    

[quote]"Mind you, they have excelled themselves this weekend with a front page story about the Bretons wanting to steal Mont St Michel - now where have I read that argument before?" I wonder!!!!![/quote] Steal !! It has merely been out on "loan"................. Now if some clever sod could arrange for the the probable new arrival by train to start from a tinsy bit West of the Couesnon, that might just be enough to put it back in Brittany    

Hi Budgie lost in Bordeaux Peter Some budgie Pete.  Whose a pretty boy then !!  

Acording to something I read a little while ago, wasn't this ruling supposed to cut down on the number of people who wander along to different Docs to get second opinions and therefore more prescriptions for medicines, thereby costing the country a fortune in "waste" both in Doctors time and repeat prescriptions, which often of course goes unused. It is said that persons with full cover or even worse (financially) full free cover (many of course deservedly getting this cover but the principal is the same) who can simply go along to as many Doctors as they can manage and then get the extra medecines on top and although all paid for, by their cotisations by some, the authorities have found, that this waste alone, is costing the health service a fortune in this kind of "waste"   

[quote]But can they be beaten?[/quote] Oh yes they can........................1/4 finals last year of a certain European Champions Cup. This year, well I have to say yes, many teams have improved a fair bit from last year, we shall see................ 

[quote]Miki, you will be pleased to see that Arsenal can now be typed.[/quote] James, Thanks, I am over the parrot and so utterly delighted to know, that if I want to mention Ars Arse Arsen it is now possible but don't hold your breath   

[quote]What wines are you drinking. Our local ANJOU wines are the same price this year. Machines are inevitable I guess but some of the grapes are still hand picked. In fact I'm taking a day out for the vend...[/quote] Done in the old traditional way, a day may be interesting J but any longer and the work just becomes plain hard graft. As a younger man and along with several mates, all of us on our way back from spending time in Spain, we would seek work around the Serignan and Perpignan areas of France for the vendage. This went on for a few years. Yes, it was good fun, the comraderie etc,  especially if you were lucky to get a few of you in the same "vineyards" but instead of interesting, the word I would have given it was b---y hard work. We left after a couple of weeks or so, with barely enough to get home (via Munich !) but the memories of those days are magical, we even got on with the gitans very well.

[quote]I know I use algebra a lot. And thank goodness they didn't make us learn modern languages at school rather than logs, algebra and trig etc etc. Yup I was a matheuse, loved it, and I would have had ve...[/quote] You intrigue me TU, I know of no one who would use algebra and as I know not a soul who would or even could ! can you tell me what you use it for ? 

Stranger still, just seen that he was actually allowed in to the USA as recently as May this year ! So what has changed since then, for him to be banned now?  

[quote]Ah! to be tediously pedantic (but I am a tedious pedant) it was a restorer in the 19C who did that with the arrow - the original needle holes go elsewhere. Harold is now generally held to be the man b...[/quote] Poor old Mr G is no more, so too late to put him straight but I just had a thought, perhaps that was the question that gave me the one point in history, that was required to gain my 11+. I do hope it's too late for a recount Yes, like most people I suspect, I had known about the arrow explanation but where did you dig up about the "needle point" having been changed ?  It was not explained through my earphones when I last viewed the tapestry but as stated, it would depend on where your allegaince lies I guess.  

[quote]I think the tediously historical answer is that all of that used to be part of the Norman patrimony (about 1100) - Henry II marrying Catherine of Anjou?And no, Harold wasn't hit in the eye! It's a my...[/quote] Can I leave it to you then Dick, to tell my old history teacher, Mr Gwilliam (right spelling) that he mislead me? and who is going to tell La Reine Mathilde to unstitch the tapestry?   

[quote]Sounds like Francais familier based on the resemblance to a milestone or similar. Never heard that one before. What card are you putting into it? Is it a cash-dispenser type thing but for interfacing ...[/quote] 'fraid for a start Dick you would have to make up a neo  neolo. neologi another word,  for me to understand what you meant ! A borne and, I have to be fair, that is the only word most of us here know it under. It is the machine that is in all CPAM offices and some mutuelles as well as some clinics and other places. It is getting more common in places you would not normally have seen one. It "reads" your carte vitale (green plastic health card on which the puce (now I don't know what that is called in any other language, it is translated as a flea if so, then that is not much use to tell people that, is it?)  lets you know (once you have mastered the little buttons on the front and know which ones you need to press and sometimes in which order) what health rights you actually have here. For instance, it might tell you if you have full cover with complementaire, or 70% or less for some self employed, who is on the card with you etc etc. You can update your carte following a change in your circumstances. You can be asked to go to a borne and update following a change by the mutuelle. Phew, do you know, I think it would be easier if people asked specific questions about the borne and indeed the carte vitale itself !!

Has the USA totally cracked up? Cat Stevens who turned to Islam in 1977 was refused entry today "on national security grounds" in to the USA. Four years ago he was also stopped from entry in to Israel. Since turning his back on the music industry, he has helped many children, has preached against wars and hatred and denounced the vile creatures that seek to gain something by slaughtering innocents in the name of religion. So why has this most gentle of men been turned away? He is on the list of wanted men by the USA. His recordings were terrific to my mind (we went to a few of his concerts and loved them) so it can't be his music, can it? Possibly it might come down to this, last year he released two songs, including a re-recording of his 1970s hit Peace Train, in opposition to the war in Iraq. Any other reason?

[quote]I use both of the above. Today I received a 'pub' saying that for 30 euros a month (we're already paying around 25euros for our internet connection) I can have a faster ADSL link and free local and ...[/quote] TU, I shall have to take another look through the Tiscali offer. My first thoughts a couple of months ago were, great, the way our kids use the phone it would be brilliant. We pay FT now a special monthly abonnement for 4 hours of local calls on each line but that works out dearer than this 10€ a month more for faster speed and free calls for all of France. I did look a little while ago and forget now what has put me off further investigation. I know that you have to get another modem and am not sure about changing the filters you got from Tiscali in the first place for ADSL. I am not sure I read that your phone number would change, as that would certainly put me off. We have our old number far too distributed to even contemplate another number. I believe you can't use your normal fax on this deal as such and have to run it through the computer (all you buffs will put me straight I'm sure). When you look deeply in to the offer there is an awful lot of guff to wade through, so I too would be really grateful if anyone else had already taken up this deal to offer some assistance. Why are you paying 25€ when the offer was 20€ for 512kbs ? Or have you just forgotten the price?     

[quote]I think my ancestor was the one you can see in the Bayeux tapestry walking behind the horses with a shovel and bucket.[/quote] That would be Harold de Shepherds Bush then, rather than the one who tried to head one away but copped it in the eye instead Bill, I have a Normandy guide that shows Alencon (borderline?), Le Mans and Mayenne as well.  

[quote]Miki - we took the Mont St Michel in 1064, IIRC, with the help of some Englishman called Harold Godwinsson. That's a long time to bear a grudge.[/quote] Dick, By "we", do I take it that Richard Coeur de Lion de Carshalton or "Smudger the First" as I believe one of your ancestors was called, took the Mount with Godwinssons army and in effect for his help in gaining the Mont, you now have land (cottage) in Normandy? Sorry Bill, having read Coco's post, I realise that your were indeed writing that 35 is a neighbouring Breton dept. Tis tough, this speaking by text n'est ce pas?

.................. we're not in Brittany but dept 35 Bet you spot that soon enough Bill, 35 is where I am and as you know, that is Brittany. You have taken Le Mont St Michel from us, don't try for Saint Malo et al,  as well !!!

Algebra is pretty good for instilling logical thought - now you aren't going to deny that one, are you Miki? No indeed not Dick but I can think of many other enjoyable ways that I could have put logic in the equation, like how was one going to get Susan from C2 behind the sheds at break  

[quote]The thing they have got in common is sport, the difference is that chattering through events is acceptable to the French, while seeming impolite to the British. However football hoolaganism is seen as...[/quote] Gay, Sometimes, even Maths can seem quite easy, don't you find ? By what I read in the papers I see I am not alone in wondering why Algebra was seen to be so damned important though    

................40,000 people, 200 yobs, Thats 0.5% Of course the media hypes up the yob side because it wouldn't sell a paper with a headline of 39800 people behaved yesterday. BA, Without meaning just to pick a morsel to dissect, I have to say, you really do mirror my thoughts on "thugs dressed as supporters" in soccer. I have watched and played football since knee high to a shin pad and it has always been the same. The tiny minority you mention, are the ones who really do not have a clue about tactics, players, history of the game or even the very team they claim to "support", so more or less Zilch ! As Cloughie (RIP "one" off wonderful man) once said, if these thugs had no football to watch they would just find another sport to latch on to.  True soccer fans (the other 99.5%) are no threat or mean no harm to anyone or anything, they are simply lovers of the game and as you state : "Read all about it, 39.800 behaved impeccably today at Chelsea" yes, you are right,  it wouldn't sell one extra copy even!!  You put it well BA.  

I caught most of the show. One has to wonder why someone would move to France having never even visited there but we actually know a few who have done it and of course TV shows positively encourages people to make the move. Sure they show the bad bits but for the most part, these shows always leave it on a bit of a high, further encouraging others to think it is the proverbial walk in the park. The thing that got me was, surely the best part would have been showing them going back to France and how they planned on getting the hotel up and running? The show kind of ended where perhaps a good story was beginning but then the programme title would not have fitted, or perhaps it would have !! Now knowing that many of these type of shows are in the "can" for anything up to 18-24 months, can't be sure about this one though, I am a little concerned as to how this family managed against huge beaurocracy with Hotel restorations, I really could fill your head with the huge problems concerning rules and regs, before one even gets to the opening stage. I hope they managed OK but being a betting man, the odds would be pretty high for a success story I'm afraid. Too may hotels are up for grabs all over France at bargain prices..............why, well in part because many need huge expensive improvements and peoples holiday habits have changed enormously in the last decade or so.    

Coco, I cannot be sure but can offer you the contact number for Henley or Paris but both can be found on the net. I would hazard a guess at annually, to ensure that those paying are the only ones in the current book but as I said, it will pay you to contact one of their offices ASAP, if you are still interested in joining but I think I would do it very quickly and hopefully you are not too late, we sent our cheque back in July. Miki

JCB, here exactly is the point that I tried to make before. More experience on this site would have shown you that SB, has her tongue permanently in her cheek and is a well educated lass who enjoys a bit of fun. No one else came bounding in to decry her purely innocent posting as they know her. She even tried to tell you so in her 2nd reply but no, you felt she must be further told about the error of her jesting post. Look at it like this, you don't rush in to a strange pub and start screaming the odds, well I wouldn't, not where I hailed from I always preferred the hooter in the middle, eye either side of that and an ear on each side, rather than end up as a bad copy of a Picasso  Surely one gets to know the locals, sees how the land lies and then hopefully start up a bit of a chat and away you go, there not exactly how you might see it but anyway, it is what I and perhaps many others would do. Then of course get stuck in !!! SB is a goodun and doesn't deserve such a stupid attack, goodness me, all she knows about soccer is David Ginola and other muscular hunks and probably doesn't give 2 hoots about soccer or its fans just the legs will do and head will do, oh and perhaps other little things.........  

I like the one about Harvests, that says it all I guess. Me and me mates (yeh got some of them as well ! I ain't a billy........) call them kecks (mens and womens) and what is says on this pair I am wearing (the things you do for research) is briefs and now I've ricked me flipping neck, having to lean backwards and twisting me neck like twizzle ! Make the next Q a bit simpler please TU