andyh4

Théière wrote Is glucosamine sulphate a homeopathic remedy? It depends on what you mean by homeopathic. If you mean dissolved and then diluted to the point of zero concentration, then certainly no. Well not if 1000 to 2000mg per tablet is supposed to be dilution to zero. If you mean produced from natural sources, then probably yes - sources include fermented corn, crustacean shells. But it is of necessity highly processed.

ALBF wrote: "...............People want to know what happened" Why do YOU want to know ? I want to know because if there are systemic issues - either with SNCF (which at the moment I doubt), or with bus operators and their recruiting, or their employees - then to have knowledge is to see if those same problems apply locally. Everyone can make a mistake, the issue is what systems are in place to minimise those mistakes and their impact.

As I previously wrote: As Chancer suggests just an attempt by a stupid lawyer to get his client off or at least spread the blame. Let's not forget that this is his job - to get his client off, or to be treated as leniently as possible. So maybe not stupid, but just clutching at straws - of which he may be running out.

If we relied on the Internet for TV we would still be downloading Dr Who Xmas special (that is that 2014 Xmas special). We have one TV in the bedroom - watching the news first thing in the morning and if you are ill or out of sorts - one in the living room and one in the kitchen

Well I don't now if it would take a mile to brake from the reported 80-90kph but it would have been a very substantial distance. Steel wheels on steel rails do not stop like rubber on tarmac. This was brought home to me when they were preparing for the last TGV speed record just before the Ligne Est was opened. On one of the practice sessions they had the unit wound up to around 500kph. A piece of loose ballast from the track was dislodged and bounced up severing the compressed air brake pipe. This caused the brakes to go into emergency application. The TGV came to a stand 15000 metres further down the track - yes that's right 15km and with full emergency braking. As Chancer suggests just an attempt by a stupid lawyer to get his client off or at least spread the blame.

IIRC Arnigel is €4.80 a tube

2 feeds to Sky +HD box 2 feeds to Humax 11008 box 2 feeds to ancient but still functioning Humax box from around 2004 vintage 2 feeds spare I had previously thought to use a splitter between two old Manhatton boxes where the Humax boxes now reside. As said they blew up after a short period of use.

There seems to be much confusion about the difference between homeopathic remedies and natural remedies. Homeopathy relies (as has been said above) on giving magic water - water that has been dosed with something and then diluted so much that there is none of the original material there, but the water somehow "remembers" the material that was there and cures you. Natural remedies rely on someone taking or using material based on naturally occurring materials - arnica is a good example for treating bruising, other less obvious one are foxglove - source of digitalis used in heart conditions - or aspirin - originally sourced from the bark of the willow tree. I sense that in France homeopath is used to refer to the latter.

I have used a splitter in the past - catastrophe. Lasted about 6 months each before going kaput. I then decided it would be better and cheaper to go from a 4 to an 8 port lnb - best decision I ever made regarding electrical and electronic goods. I too am happy with Humax - albeit different models to the one you quote.

Linda A payment system does not necessarily mean that every visit has to be paid for. Our vet charges a €25 consultation fee. If the animal has to go bac several times that fee carries over and you only pay for additional treatments or medication. In Germany if I visited a doctor I paid €10 and this carried over for the full quarter. If I had to see another doctor I got a transfer note (essentially a receipt) and paid nothing. The downside was that if you visited the doctor on the 30th March, the repeat visit a week later would cost you another €10 because it was in the new quarter, but I guess the perfect system has yet to be invented.

Betty wrote: Another friend of mine, who isn't that old, is back in France after working most of her adult life abroad. She has worked the last umptyteen years in Bali. She came home because her kids have now left Bali, but she has severe cardiac problems and everyone was afraid for her that if she had another heart attack, she'd die. The nearest halfway competent hospital to Bali is Jakarta. So she's now working remotely for the Balinese company from France. Her French doctor insisted that she go for 3 weeks of assessment and rehab. He said that if she continued refusing or putting it off, he'd stop treating her. She has no mutuelle and has been worried about the costs she's going to incur. I left France last Saturday. She was due to go to the hospital on Monday. I got an email to say that on the Sunday she was rushed to Bordeaux after suffering 3 small heart attacks. 99% of the cause was the anxiety she was feeling about being forced to go for 3 weeks rehab and assessment. She knew it would be a good thing, she was just terrified about the cost. And she needs to keep working because she has no French social contributions history worth a damn. and the same should probably also apply in the UK. The commonly held myth is that you just have to turn up and get free treatment from the NHS. There is not enough info in your post to make a decision but there is enough that questions should at least be raised. In fairness it often happens that people do just get free treatment but from what you have written this lady might not be due free treatment in the UK either.

Wooly wrote At present the NHS is being overwhelmed by a flu epidemic that it could not really have predicted nor planned for. Utter tosh Wooly. They failed to predict the flu epidemic last year, and the year before. Using something that happens every year as an excuse that "could not be predicted" is a bit like the power companies not having enough generating capacity because they did not predict lower winter temperatures.

Like Gardian, I see little or no opportunity for any improvements round here. Unless I have been doing a significant amount of motorway driving (which these days tends to be 4 or 5 times per year) my average speed on journeys is likely to be around 40-45kph. The roads simply do not allow faster driving. If I drive the 40+km down to the Rhone valley, there are 4 stretches (about a total of 3 - 3.5km) where I can get speed up to 90kph. The rest is slow going bend after bend or through a couple of villages with 50 or 70kph speed limits. The idiots with their sixth sense radar that allows them to see round corners will still drive like maniacs.

Not a problem JJ as far as our experience is concerned. WE opened our account when resident in Germany and no eyebrows raised at all. There must be hundreds or thousands of UK residents who have a French account to run their second home, although there you could say that they do have a French address - albeit not their primary one. It seems to be a UK bank thing that you have to have a UK address to open an account (although that may be changing); and even then you can keep the account when you don't have a UK address any more (well mostly though there are a few reports to the contrary.)

Yes I remember milk loaves. Round in shape, with ribs down the length as if to give a slicing guide - at least ours were. Never had such a longing for a white loaf, but I do use some milk in all the loaves I make. About 1:4 milk to water.

ALBF wrote: I made a point of watching Doctor Who on Xmas day, and that was cra&p. So that was the end of Xmas TV. and that also sums up my opinion of French TV over the holidays - not even worth turning on.

I had no problem restocking with a 2.5kg bag before Xmas, but I had problems finding white bread flour - I use a mix. It could be that the French have discovered home bread making and that being a baker is not a protected profession.

As pointed out about 4 pages ago JJ this is not France and it looks very much like a manually "controlled" crossing.

The two sets of data are not necessarily in conflict. This raises the interesting question of whether it is better to have a highly efficient workforce but high unemployment, or an inefficient workforce but essentially full employment. Of course ideally you would want the best of both worlds - a la Germany.

Well I can imagine the prejudices from the Anglo brigade. At work I had a group of staff and we exchanged bisoux every morning. I did have to remember to only kiss twice (marseillais(e)) and not three times (ardechois(e)). Males would however shake hands. No one seemed to be intimidated by this; indeed I did wonder if it was a test for me to see if I would/could fit in. Now at home bisoux are exchanged (and sometimes hand shakes) with male and female colleagues and friends. What's not to like? Unless of course the Anglos feel this is all a bit too intimate. As for the time taken - any more or less shaking hands and saying good morning? It is a pleasantry and as such should be treated as something pleasant.

ALBF Wrote: most of the French population live in Paris, Lyon, Marseille, Bordeaux and other major cities. The green bits don't really count unfortunately. Well unless you are on holiday. Is that the same in the UK ? Yes ALBF, the UK population have accumulated in the SE corner of the UK around London, with tendrils spreading out along the M4. That is why London rents are beyond the ability of people like nurses to pay on their own salary. I hear Paris has been heading in that way.

I think you will find that ALBF knows a lot about crepe. Merry Christmas everyone

What makes you think that these animals were not being supervised overnight? The reports I heard said that 8 members of staff had to be treated for smoke inhalation, and given that the fire service were on site a few minutes after 6am this suggests to me that at least some of those were on duty before six and probably overnight.

You can do it with oil, but I agree dripping or lard are better. Make sure your mixture is not too thick. It should be really runny. Make sure the fat/oil is very very hot before putting the mixture in the over. Lard should be at smoking point. This means you need a high temperature resistant oil. Rape seed oil is probably the best to go for. Once the puds are in the oven, leave the door shut until they are done. If you open the door they will cease rising. If you continually open and shut the door - putting in or taking out other things - they will indeed end up flat as a pancake. EDIT to add: Make the batter mixture 1-2 hours before use. The trouble with all these things is that things that are obvious and automatic to you may not be obvious to someone else.

Aspirin effervescent - available in 1gm and 500mg - and probably other doses as well.