Ken

When I walk I tend to pick days that show the weather forecast as being suitable. It would be irresponsible to walk in bad weather, particularly if it is bad enough to "walk off the hillside"!! Then again, as I live here and can pick my days you, being a tourist have to put up with it!!

Try getting out of the cess pits. There really is a nice world out there.

As I said, try living somewhere nice! And do stop 'smoking' It shows!!!

You know the majority then?

I think you should leave the 'funny stuff' alone!!! It has warped your view of life.

Nope, just been here for 24 years! travelled extensively though and the only time I would ever have come across the cesspits you describe would have been by mistake. You should get out more. You should try some nice places as you seem to be living in a not too pleasant place!!

Maybe where you live, which I doubt is the 'majority' Try living in a decent place. In the Pays Basque people have respect for themselves and are very sporty minded. Pot bellies are seen only on pigs and rarely on humans!

No stereotyping going on. I said "by and large" and I stand by that. Pot bellied and drunk are all too common a factor with Brits abroad. Just to add a little oil to this fire, I would hazard a guess that just about the majority of people on this site are fat or obese!! They are usually the ones who try to excuse the malaise!!

That's easy, Two things that keep me happy: sufficient rain to keep everything beautiful and no , pot bellied drunks wanting fish and chips! I would have thought it was obvious! I'm afraid my 'fellow countrymen, and women' by and large, are shameful when abroad.

I'm a numpty! 'Not many Brits about here' Meaning 'there aren't many Brits about here'!! What's wrong with that? Incidentally, here in the pays Basque we (being one of the not many Brits) have had nearly 80 mm of rain this month. Reading the other posts, why on earth live in those places if you don't like it?

Fortunately here in the pays Basque we have sufficient rain and very few Brits; Long ay it last!

Of course you were just showing how people get upset, you did it very well!! I didn't miss your point, you have made it perfectly clear. You believe, and as it happens so do I , that the internet and other media sources fuel violent crime. The bottom line though is that parents are, or should be, responsible for what their youngsters do. Many parents in this modern world are abjectly moronic in believing their kids are perfect. Discipline! What's that? In fact they give children iPads and computers so that they keep quiet!!! Once an adolescent matures into an adult then it's too late. Whatever bad behaviour they got away with passes on to their offspring. As for the 'Tollpuddle martyrs' comment: Sorry but we can't change what has happened or been invented. We can though, if we can be bothered, manage it all better! I standby completely with what I said. Parents are mainly responsible for violent crime. Secondly; the State is pathetic when its comes to punishment.

I don't think we are talking about 'inappropriate' behaviour; We are talking about bad and violent behaviour. Youngsters in their teens, even younger, carrying knives and being part of the gun and drug culture. Certainly there are other violent crazies out there in there 20s but they have been involved since they were teenagers and young children. And you say "what the **** can we do about it"? I doubt very much that you let your children carry knives etc and I doubt they do now! If I'm right and they don't then that is 'what the *** ' you did do about it!

Today's typical parent. You have just proved my point! I don't know you or your children and I was speaking generally. Though you have taken it personally. Even so you absolve yourself by definition by blaming the internet. Always something, or someone else to blame.

What you are doing is blaming someone, or something else! You raise your children, no one else! If they turn out to be dross you have to bear the responsibility; no one else. Blaming the internet is stupid.

I'll make it very clear then, despite Lister's childish dig, You don't offer a reason (in your opinion) and neither does anyone else for the apparent increase in lawlessness. I have said I believe it is because of poor parenting and a lack of action, because of liberal views, by the authorities. Is that clear enough?

The few observations regarding violence in France, or generally, have said whatever, but none of them venture why! I have given my opinion so why so why not say what is your opinion as to why? Could it be that the way the liberal movement agrees with you and that conflicts with reality? You can't have it both ways despite wanting it that way!!

Two very recent violent occurrences involving children throws the spotlight on violence in a terrible way. Marseille, I have given up on anyway, the drugs situation puts that city way out of control and it has been for many years; it's sort of accepted! Maybe it's my imagination, though I don't think so, but there does appear to be more and violence occurring all over France. Riots are almost commonplace now with associated violence but it is the 'isolated' incidents that appear to occur with more and more unsettling frequency that is concerning. My feeling is that it is becoming a more violent country and if so why? I do have an opinion of course as no doubt most have, and no it isn't that I think it is down to immigration as the two recent attacks on children may have highlighted. My view is that society , in general, has become excessively tolerant with regards discipline within the family and discipline exerted by the state being lax. That , primarily, I believe are the two prime reasons. What will it take to change?

O.k. fake cards won't work. So what is the scale of 'Health Tourism'? We don't know. All we do know is that the media, presumably at the behest of the government are saying there is huge fraudulent activity regarding CVs! It is all anectdotal with no facts, stats or figures! If cards are being used illegally, how? We still don't know; at least I don't! I haven't read or heard any accusations regarding overseas 'health Tourists'. If cards are being used this way then they must be cards with out photos and people using them risk being asked for I.D. I can't see this being 'major fraud'! As per my initial post starting this thread, no one has come up with any real answer as to why or how CVs are being used in a 'huge fraud'! Even the Minister can't give any details! Just uses his 'imagination'!!

A fake card still won't work in the reading machine, with or without a photo!

Send it to Lister to stop his whinging!

Sorry but your argument doesn't hold up about thousands of fake CV cards. To start with there has to be a photo on the card of the holder. Second, if a fake card was put into the machine that reads them it wouldn't work so what is the point of a 'fake' card'?

I'm not at all sure that is what is 'supposed' to happen. The Carte Vitale has my photograph on it, surely that is the purpose of it, to prove my I.D! If cards are being 'lent' then surely the same fraudulent activity would apply to any other card , be it I.D. or a combined ID and CV if the person receiving it can't be bothered to even compare a photograph it doesn't matter what you present to them!! Incidentally, I have never been asked for I.D. when presenting my CV. I would ask the person why; given the CV has my photo on it, it's an absurdity!

You have missed the point completely. The French will combine their i.d. card with the carte Vitale, you don't have an I.d. card. It isn't about proving who you are, I would have thought that obvious; it is about combining two documents, one of which ex-pats don't have!! I have a Titre de Séjour, Passport , Driving licence even a gun licence; all with a photo on. Proving who I am is easy.

I believe the Government is, by the end of the year going to make the combining of the Carte Vitale and I.D into one. Aside from not knowing what fraud is actually taking place just why, if there is fraud, don't the government ( and chemists, doctors et. al.) ask for I.D when giving over the Carte Vitale. Surely that would be just as valid and a lot less expensive than setting up a whole new system! It also raises another question for ex pats who don't have an I.D. card. How are they going to accommodate us, there are many in this situation!