andyh4

Richard wrote: Your post is predicated on the assumption that a good comprehensive education is worse than that of an independent school. Sometimes Richard that chip on your shoulder gets so big that it blocks your vision and you cannot see past it. My reference to comprehensive school had nothing to do with him having been to an independent school and everything to do with all of you other objections that followed: I paraphrase - was trained at officer level in the military - probably good for defining strategies and having a disciplined approach to problem solving Went to university - actually quite a good one - well good luck to him, and we do need educated people running the country. Of course you are permitted to think otherwise - but I would submit that there are already enough idiots in politics and we need no more. Has had legal training - pretty much essential in a roll where everything is going to be defined in a contract (aka treaty). Sometimes you really do show yourself up as a plonker which means the true arguments that you have get completely lost.

which of course has nothing directly to do with choosing a new Bexsh1t leader. Sometimes the chip on your shoulder actually does more harm to the argument than it does good. If you genuinely believe the best person to put in front of the EU to negotiate the final details of the divorce and then the start of the trade deal has to have had no better than a good Comprehensive education, should have absolutely no legal background in order to fully understand the pitfalls of a comma here or a "but" there, then you really are living in another world. I am afraid that in the world of 21st century politics the likes of Nye Bevan would be eaten alive and the bones spat out into the gutter. And do not misunderstand, I am a great fan of Nye, but his time passed some 50 years ago - if not more.

A good general purpose spud to grow is Mona Lisa - not the best for mash nor for roasties, but better than many.

Auchan Tio Pepe Fino €15/bottle don't feel any duty to reply on the cost or the quality, but it is sherry and available in France.

Richard51 wrote Is to the west of say Marseille any better than to the east. There is an area of heavy industrialisation to the west of Marseille so really until you get to the west of the Rhone much of the area has restricted attraction - there are some nice coves on the Cote Blue but to get there you are forced through the industrial or vast trading estates. Once on the western side of the Rhone, you lose the attraction of steep hills and mountains behind the coast. So in answer to the question, with of course exceptions the west of Marseille is not as attractive.

The Cote d'Azur has been a winter watering place for the British for over 125 years. That attraction I think is a basis for why it seems so popular now. I think over time the climate has shifted and the area is less appealing now than it was at the end of the Victorian age. Plus of course the rest of the world has discovered it as well. Today more a multinational attraction than the previous British winter enclave. Note I have used winter twice above since summers would surely have been far to hot for civilised Victorians. The popularity has undoubtedly been promoted by such works as "A year in Provence". Dordogne is perhaps the CdA of the late 20th century. Personally I find little to attract me to either - but to each his/her own. It would be a dull life if we were all the same and ALBF's corner of Tours would be incredibly crowded with Brits.

You can see the sense in what they are trying to achieve, but exactly how it would/could be put into force is another matter. It is also a tax on those who live outside the cities. For example there is no hobby and craft shop within 60km of where we live. We do patronise this shop on the one occasion per month when we visit the city; but between times if something runs out, that is urgently needed, we order on-line. Putting a 1€ charge will do nothing to increase the turnover of the shop and I doubt will realistically reduce their taxes.

Clair wrote We have 4 cats here... Do cats eat pumpkin? Not usually, but never say never. We had a cat that loved melon and would beg for it - as in sit back on its hind legs and rear up waving its front paws in the air to attract attention.

Stilton (blue Stilton) is available in our Auchan and also from time to time in Grand Frais. Red Leicester - also available in Grand Frais as Vieux Leicester - looks old and dried out under its plastic wrap - it isn't. Wensleydale, proper crumbly Lancashire or Cheshire - still waiting for the world to change. But they do have Blue Shropshire - not my personal favorite but OK - and little cheddars wrapped in wax - which I will personally avoid. And before ALBF gets on his hobby horse, I also love Danish, Norwegian, French, Italian, Spanish cheeses. They each have a character of their own and we should refrain from saying that A is a good substitute for B or A is as good as B. There are good'uns and not so good'uns [according to your own tastes only] and they all have an individual character.

Our two pharmacies have amalgamated into one - perhaps no bad thing since we now have a 6 day service no matter which we historically used with a 4 1/2 day service. AS far as I can see everyone is happy. No loss of jobs, bigger premises, TBH 2 pharmacies for a commune of 4k inhabitants - perhaps doubled if every outlying commune and hamlet were added - seemed at bit OTT Perhaps it is this rationalisation that is taking place. As to making medicines expensive, I am not sure I follow. My Ameli statement shows the cost of the medicine, a payment to the pharmacy, a payment from CPAM and the rest to be covered or not from the mutuelle. If there were fewer pharmacies, where would the reduction in cost come from? Reduced payment to the pharmacy itself is the only way I can see - but they still have staff, taxes and cotisations to pay. I have yet to walk into any pharmacy without a queue - so they are not over staffed. And not a lot they can do about taxes and cotisations.

Well just for once we seem to be ahead of the curve Mint. We also have prepackaged Wyke Farms which is OK for cooing, but the cheese counter in our Auchan also has blocks of White Cheddar cut to order - Cheddar fremier. - as well as the red. These are also Wyke products but the white cheddar is pretty good. Friends brought out some Cathedral City over the summer, and while the taste was different, if I had been scoring them I would have ended up with very similar scores. And yes for melting onto toast/crumpets or just on top of things, Cheddar is impossible to match.

Let's try this. It has been stated that upon Brexit a CdS eu citizen will be simply exchanged for a new document. A CdS for a non EU citizen requires a payment of €269 https://www.service-public.fr/particuliers/vosdroits/F11201 So if current cards really are exchanged simply (ie without charge) the you save €269 per person.

Right at the bottom. Courriels seem to have died a death.

+1

As Idun has so eloquently pointed out there is little chance of there being proof one way or the other. So the senate committee will need to base a decision based on a balance of probability. In some cases this might amount to the probability of whether I get re-elected or not.