just john

[quote user="You can call me Betty"] NOT ONE could identify or name any of the following: David Cameron, Nick Clegg, Ed Milliband, Boris Johnson, Ken Livingstone, The 3 main UK political parties. Incidentally, these are not holiday home owners here in the UK, they're permanent residents with jobs who pay UK taxes. They're also ALL very fluent in English. [/quote] Need to know basis[:P]

Gosh! Kitty & Rose posting! Almost like old times ;-)

[quote user="Quillan"] I can sing, I like to sing, I really love karaoke but the strange thing is they always make me wait till last to sing, strange that. [:(] If its a request night they normally ask me to sing "Far, Far Away", never did learn the lyrics. [/quote] Good choice Q, here you are, one for the jubilee party, go for it! Far Far Away I've seen the yellow lights go down the Mississippi I've seen the bridges of the world and they're for real I've had a red light on the wrist Without me even gettin' kissed It still seems so unreal I've seen the morning in the mountains of Alaska I've seen the sunset in the east and in the west I've sang the glory that was Rome And passed the hound dog singer's home It still seems for the best And I'm far far away with my head up in the clouds And I'm far far away with my feet down in the crowds Lettin' loose around the world But the call of home is loud still as loud  I've seen the Paris lights from high upon Montmartre And felt the silence hanging low in no mans land And all those Spanish nights were fine It wasn't only from the wine It still seems all in hand And I'm far far away with my head up in the clouds . . . I've seen the yellow lights go down the Mississippi The grand Bahama island stories carry on And all those arigato smiles Stay in your memory for a while There still seems more to come. And I'm far far away with my head up in the clouds . . .

[quote user="Kitty"]Well, well, well.  What a can of worms I seem to have opened.  But I still feel British (after all, I am British) and would love to celebrate the Jubilee with other Brits or French. [/quote] What a great post Kitty, you should post more often! - 6 pages - 42 posts - 735 views; even if slight acerbic, vibrant discussion. It has brought out a few serious points, pity sometimes it's not in the bar over an apero where the glint (steely or twinkle) in the eyes can be seen; As Harry Hill says There's only one way to find out [:D]  

[quote user="powerdesal"] [quote user="idun"] I have to say that I don't quite understand the last bit of your post Just John. Well the bigotry bit. - Please explain. [/quote] Definition of a Bigot:- a person who is obstinately or intolerantly devoted to his or her own opinions and prejudices; especially : one who regards or treats the members of a group with intolerance. However, IMHO there is a tendency towards intolerance, particularly directed towards ''some'' Brits by other Brits.[/quote] The above quotes answer queries on my post I hope, which wasn't directed at anyone specifically nor to cause offence, except to say that IMHO there is, as powerdesal comments, running through this and other threads negative comments directed to ''some'' Brits by other Brits. Irrespective of the French attitude to some Brits (which seems to run from love to hate), this is an english forum set up to assist understanding of the requirements of living in France rather than sniping. For myself I didn't come to France to escape other Brits, nor to be a born again Frenchman, but just to enjoy France, the French, and my maison secondaire. I didn't learn much Mandarin or Cantonese while working in China, and I must admit my schoolboy French is not brilliant but another hobby challenge when I have time, I have got by so far, thanks be to t'internet and the likes of this forum.  

In answer to Kitty, (good to see you posting 'Kitty') as far as I know the local community in France has nothing arranged, even the locally english run restaurant; come to that nothing going on in deepest dorset either, and it's a really friendly street, lots of neighbours on more than a nodding acquintance, the local talk focussing on whether to be an unpaid(!) volunteer steward for the local olympic venue or to escape while it's on (mine's the latter). [quote user="Mac"]My goodness what a lot of vitriol this subject seems to have generated.The poor OP has not returned and I am not surprised give some of the comments on this post. There seems to be a lot of focus on street parties -of which there are only 2 mention in 22 posts of anyone attempting to organise one (posts 5 &6).I love 'You can call me Betty's post'' I do not think that years of permanent residence qualify anyone to set themselves up as a spokesperson for "The French". With a few notable exceptions, the one thing living there permanently does NOT make you, it's French.''. I have a neighbour- who has lived and worked in France for 15 years-who has a phrase ''born again French'' when discussing some English people who live in France.To paraphrase George Orwell-French good-English bad-seems to be their motto.[/quote] I have to concur with Mac though, whatever else the full timers (or any english spending time in France) think they are, they remain one of the minority english groups and will never be 'French'. I do find it obnoxiously paradoxical that such people use an english forum set up to assist understanding of the requirements of living in France, to vent their bigotry.  

It must be done, though I've only ever done it as part of a club organised event, including a marque few laps of the circuit, and pit pass etc, we stayed at Chambre d'hote a few kilometres away, however one tip I can give (as given to me previously by a member of the forum[Www]) is that as a member, access to the members stand proved invaluable on the day. http://www.autoclub.fr/offers.asp  

[quote user="sweet 17"] Oh, JJ, I forgot that you are a bit of an expert n'est-ce pas? (But, why are you whispering?) [8-)] [/quote] An expert is someone who knows more and more about less and less[:D] Most people choose a face by their own likes and dislikes, but in reality they are more like clothes in style. eg serif faces have time to be decorative and express character, think Designer formal suit, whereas sans faces are strictly functional, think forces uniform or overalls;  For example Johnston is the sans fount designed for the London underground signage, to be simple, clear, with almost no time given to decoration or character.  

[quote user="cooperlola"]I like Garamond.   Not as common as Times but elegant and simple nonetheless.  As a rule, I prefer serif typefaces (the ones with the little tops and tails on) and think they're clearer.  Sorry, forum![/quote] Précisément Coops, and there so many to choose from, but a couple more of my favourites,  Bembo italic with oldstyle figures and   Century italic with oldstyle figures (not age related Sweet!)  

Bumpy landing coming up according to Citibank . . . ''Greece will likely leave the euro zone on Jan. 1 2013 and its new currency will immediately fall by 60% against the euro, unleashing a massive yet manageable wave of contagion across Europe, Citigroup said '' http://online.wsj.com/article/BT-CO-20120524-704903.html

I had intended to post this group  http://www.facebook.com/pages/Bluehouse/61860278459  a little while ago, but just never got around to it, however today I was reminded by the announcement of the death of the driving force Steve Blackman. Sad indeed, he was a great character and the gigs I went to just south of Angouleme were great, they were due to play 9th June, so no reason not to contact them via the site or go along perhaps, good luck, let me know what transpires.

[quote user="Quillan"] When you say "blossom and come good" what do you mean, against the pound, the dollar? [/quote] parity in amongst the member states would be good[:D] [quote user="Quillan"]  George Soros allegedly has said that he can't see the Euro doing any more than 1.25 to the pound. [/quote] Probably tradewise it might be better for the €uro if it went a bit above would it not?

[quote user="Quillan"] It's the same with the world and the Euro, for the Euro to fail it would drag the world in to the biggest recession the world as a whole has ever known so it just won't happen. [/quote] Reports seem to indicate that Germany isn't happy with their contribution bailing out the €uro, and surely the future can't be borrowing indefinitely to prop something up, (I include the UK) does it look like the €uro is about to blossom and come good anytime soon? [quote user="Quillan"]  Funny really, I was reading, in the Independent perhaps, just the other day that in the UK the sale of Euros over the last few days has doubled or even tripled. Clearly a lot of people think it's worth more than toilet paper. [/quote] Do the words holidays and exchange rate spring to mind?

 /borisjohnson /Europe-is-driving-full-tilt-foot-on-the-pedal-into-a-brick-wall. About time for a reality check

Fortunately for me I had a good partner who been taught to dance with loads of other girls, so was usually press-ganged into taking the male role, consequently she led more often than not and we were still able to do enough moves to have fun. I was usually dragged onto the floor but exhilarated leaving it![:D.  

Ryan+Frankie Wow, Did they have any energy left . . . [:D]

Get out the garlic  tony-blair-may-return-to-domestic-politics_

 /Ferrari-enthusiast-painted-15m car dream I love these garage doors, and the attention to detail on this one especially, calendar, metal fuel signs, maybe not the broom, smart though . . .

 In another recent survey of dwarves, 6 out 7 said they weren't grumpy . . [:P]

Apparently in a recent survey of dwarves, 6 out 7 said they weren't happy . . .

 guardian. Costa-Concordia-to-be-refloated (I see the search facility on the forum is as poor as ever, failed to find this thread, but google managed it instantly, thanks to Clair's tip)    

[quote user="Russethouse"] so no olympic breakfasts LOL - the OH had an olympic breakfast at Chicklade (?) on the A303 just last weekend.....is it a local ban ? [/quote] I take it the LOL is Lots of Love?[:D]  .bbc.LOL Cameron; - the ban is enforced by the Olympic Committee on behalf of sponsors 'Croke a cola'  and Macedee and others who have bought the 'rights'

[quote user="Russethouse"]  Maybe 'South Today' only cover the positive...... [/quote] You're right there [quote user="Russethouse"] I might be wrong but hasn't the town benefited from a road improvement ?   [/quote] If you call demolishing all the roundabouts, including the palm trees and replacing them with metropolis style Trafic lights, which are designed to create queues, (but at the flick of switch can provide a clear 'ZIL' route through for the functionaries)!, then perhaps, but they are locally disliked and described as an accident waiting to happen, even spawning a bumper sticker ''I survived the traffic lights at Asda, Weymouth'' The local traders are not happy that they are not allowed to use 'Olympic' or the ring symbol or even 2012 games in their advertising,  dorsetecho. .Cut_the_fun_and_Games/ so no olympic breakfasts or 5 ring accommodation, meanwhile the local bus company say a junction on the new relief road is too dangerous to use; and the familiar welcoming local stone pineapples have been removed  dorsetecho. .Campaign_to_bring_back_pineapples_to_Weymouth_gateway/ and replaced with  dorsetecho .Weymouth_Relief_Road_sculpture bill £332,291 . Viewed by many as not a local event for local people, even traditional holiday bookings are believed down where families want avoid the Olympic crowd.

[quote user="AnOther"]You have absolutely no idea what terror that conjurers up in my brain ! No sleep for me tonight damn you...................[:'(] [/quote] Girlfriends Mum  - just enjoy the beer, she could turn out to be a Voderman[:D]    

[quote user="Jako"]It proves that propaganda works. The pound is a save haven, like Pearl Harbor on December 6 1941. [/quote] Let me see if I've understood this correctly, the future of a new unstable intellectual currency (like the €uro)  is stronger than established world currencies (like the $ or the £) ?