JohnM

Jenny At first I assumed that you had a French pad near Rennes / "did the UK - Rennes shuttle". But now I've seen that you do fly in "big uns" I guess that Rennes is not the airport of employment. Not that it matters one jot, but where do you fly? Do you work out of Rennes? John For what it's worth, being a sad (nearly) old man, I preferred the original picture! [A]  

I know that people hate spelling corrections and (az won whu striggles wiv spillings) I know why they hate them. So please don't consider this as being one, it is pronunciation advice! The word actually starts OPH so it should not start with an OP sound, but OFF. If we all said it correctly then the spelling would follow. [;)] Sorry to all who hate spelling pedants but I started my working life as an ophthalmic dispenser and it just niggled when people couldn't get the name right (for what it's worth many Chiropodists hate being called Shiropodists - you don't go to the Shemist or Shiropractor, so why Shiropodist!!! - Father and Sister were in that profession!) (I'm standing by for a deluge of "Get a life comments") John (Edited to correct a spelling mistake!)

What software / configuration is needed to connect to wanadoo haute debit using USB? I have just requested their 10€ service and read somewhere that you need some software for a USB connection (but it didnt' say what - just that ethernet didnt and USB did). John  

Is there another definition for a martinet OR would there have been a vllage martinet place? I ask because I live in an area called "Le Martinet" John  

Many thanks. John

Hi Do any of you happen to know wanadoo.fr 's dial up number? I have just had to reinstall my OS (I wont give it a name so that the folk who use "the other one" can't all say... Oh, but you wouldn't be in this mess if you'd used "the other one" [;)] ) Although I had an image copy of my Laptop hard disk and have been able to get most of my user data back from it, I seem to have lost the dialing details for my "on the road" access. (Disaster recovery plan needs a rethink!) I can find it when next I go over as I've an old machine that lives there, but I like to dial up once a month so that they don't cancel the account. Cheers John

Round my way (73) the wood seems to be sold by the stere, which if you have it in 1m lengths is 1m3, however, if it is cut into 0.5m lengths it is only 0.8m3 and if 33cm it's 0.7m3. (Well that is what the letter that came with my last delivery said anyway) Guess who will be looking for a chain saw on the next visit!  

Just had a thought... I've got salopettes that un zip down the sides so that they can be taken off without removing my ski boots (I'm not quite sure why I would want to, I've never had the urge to ski in my undies), the leg warmers could be made in the same way so that they can be put on over the webbed feet.

I expect they thought about that, but getting them over the feet would be problematic.

Volunteers are needed to help take preventative action, if you feel that you have them time and energy to help treat the birds, then this is what you need to do. www.johnfmarshall.co.uk/pic01264.jpg Sorry, I couldn't get the picture to add in it's own right, I need to read the threads that say how to do it. (With apologies if it has already been posted in another Bird Flue thread, I haven't got time to read them all).  

[quote user="Patf"] The saddest thing is they practise infanticide and kill off the elderly because they can't afford to feed them. So there are many different standards of poverty. Pat. [/quote] The saddest thing I "discovered" was that some mothers mutilate their babies in the hope that people will feel extra sorry for them and be more likely fill the begging bowls.

On the football front, but equally applicable to show biz (something that I love), I find it very difficult to understand why people who have very little are so willing to support and fund, the lifestyles of the rich and (in)famous. I just can not understand why peope who are unemployed will pay a small fortune to see "their" team play a game. When I have been out of work I have cut out the expensive pleasures so that the important things (food, heat, tax) can be paid for, I find it very difficult to understand why others don't do the same - I now ackowledge that it's more difficult with sport because the supporters do feel as if they are part of the club and not just spectators so would feel disloyal if they were not at the match (See Miki, I did read and think about, what you said last year) but I still don't understand it.  

My winter break was a trip that I've been thinking of for about 16 years.... I visited friends in Oz and relatives in NZ, but went via Mumbai (Bombay) and came back via Las Vegas. I found both the stop overs very interesting, but also very disturbing. In Mumbai it was people who had nothing much materially, living in squalor, some struggling to survive, but many of them coping with life with a smile. In Vegas it was too many people with too much money who pushed it in slot machines in the vain hope that they could get more. (I suppose it was the rush of excitement when they won that counted more than the actually money, because the winnings often went straight back in the machine until they lost).   I've had lots of food for thought since I got back.  

[quote user="Deimos"] I find it disappointing that much of the world does seem to be splitting into those that have far more than they could ever need and those that have far less than they need - and we are supposed to admire those who have such excessive amounts of money. What political action there is seems to happen seems to be sporadic and totally oriented around vote winning rather than actually addressing the problems.  Recent UK political speak about helping African countries – well what about all the poverty in e.g. South America, etc. – why just Africa. But then maybe it comes down to how people seem to treat each other these days.  Plenty of money to buy bombs and weapons but not enough to see people have food, shelter, etc. to meet their basic needs. Ian [/quote] Spot on! Why do we consider that ONLY people who have the trappings of wealth are successful? They are successful at wealth generation, but are they successful at life? I really think that the people who have inner contentment, manage to really make a go of a happy marriage, are well liked, bring up healthy, happy and community minded, kids (that don't end up in trouble), but who may not have a lot of money (or work place ambition) are far far far more successful at life, than people who do really well at work, but are complete *******'s. Trouble is, it's the quantity over quality game, it's easy to count money but not so easy to evaluate quality of life skills.  

As a teenager trying to avoid learning french (If only I had guessed then that one day I would want to know it) I remember being told that "you children are lazy, all French children can speak good English". I guess that they've all forgotten it in the intervening 35 years! [:)]  

If I understand your posting correctly, I agree, the extremists need to be stood up to. However, I do hope this doesn't meaning lumping all muslims into the same boat. Extremists of any persuasion are at least a pain in the neck and at worst dangerous. Why do humans spend so much time and energy looking at (and for) differences between us, we have far more in common than we have differences - I think that it's the differences that make us interesting, but some folk seem scared of them.  

Ooh ooh ooh... please sir, Forum admin have got two.. sir! (OK - I'll get back in my box)  

[quote user="Dicksmith"]and many Muslim societies have a diametrically opposed view, that the sensibilities (freedoms or rights if you will) of the mass of believers are paramount.[/quote] As long as those believers are followers of Islam! I do find it hypocritical that some Muslims see nothing wrong with decrying other religions but get extremely upset if anyone dares say anything against Islam! (By the way, I have some very good friends who are "sensible" Muslims so do know that it is only "some" that are the trouble)  

Ian, As far as I can see, there is one very big advantage in the Mac and that is that they do not seem to be attacked by the virus writers. In your experience, is this becuase there are less Macs so the sad individuals don't bother as they get less satisfaction or, is Mac security better? If the later, my next machine will be Mac, if the former I'll judge how popular Macs getting are before I buy. Cheers John

I've just done some pretty extensive internet searching and found that the "innocent until proven guilty" quote is being abused. It seems that the phrase is actually "presumed" innocent until proven guilty. As always, the devil is in the detail and "presumed innocent" is not the same as "being innocent". I take this to mean that people who are found "Not Guilty" must be treated as if they are innocent. As mentioned earlier, it does NOT mean that they ARE innocent. I hope this helps.    

[quote user="Owens88"] neither   Cats don't swim  , by choice anyway. [/quote] This is sad, but I seem to recall seeing something on TV (some years back) of some cats who seemed to enjoyed swimming. I can't remember the full details, but I do have an image of two very content cats in a tank of warm water.  

[quote user="beryl"] It was  H. Allen Smith, [/quote] Thank you. although I must now confess that I don't know who he is! However, he is soo right, anything that has to have so much chilling to enhance/hide its flavour can not be good!

I've got to admit defeat... not on the 12345 answer - but I was hoping that I could think of an alternatve witty response that would be far funnier than the original. I haven't.

Errr, No comment.

[quote user="Colette"]I thought 60 was the new 40 [/quote] Oh I do hope so. Life didn't "start" for me at 40 so I hope it does at 60! Not too long to go.