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Deimos

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Everything posted by Deimos

  1. Firstly, I have no idea about cats so my thoughts below are my own general observations of French vets rather than anything suggesting you should or should not return to your vet. I have noticed that my own vet is far more "down to earth" than any vet I have every used in the UK.  UK vets seem to "protect" you from any of the aspects of treatment (other than the trivial injection type of thing).  Take in a pet requiring treatment and the animal is whisked away until you collect him or her later.  Thus, when I took my youngster in to my French vet to be neutered, I was a bit surprised when he came out to the waiting room and gave her the initial anaesthetic and left us sitting there as she "went under".  I did have to leave but collected her after my appointment when she was still partially unconscious. Similarly, when she ripped her dew claw and after a week it had not healed, I returned to the vet who said he thought best thing was to remove it.  I said "yes" and "when ?" to which he said "now ?".  So we did the operation there and then.  Anaesthetic then move into the operating room and I hold her/assist whilst he starts operating, etc.  I was fine with this but it never occurred to him that I might be a bit squeamish (particularly with my own animal).  It was not the vet being inconsiderate and it did not bother me (in fact it was interesting).  It was just a different outlook, more "down to earth" (difficult to describe). Both in France and UK vets have been rural and I'm sure your town/city vet treating only pets would be a bit different. Ian
  2. (I could not think of a better title). http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/7234220.stm Strikes me that doing most things in life carry a degree of risk.  Doing different things carry different risks.  What you do and thus the risks you take are often your own choice.  Virtually noting is 100% safe.  If you chose to go skiing you accept that there is a higher risk than sitting at home reading a book but it is your choice.  Travelling can also carry a higher risk e.g. sitting in the garden.  Even though something seems moderately safe there is some still some degree of risk and strikes me that when you chose to do something you accept that risk. So, assuming there is no negligence involved, when you chose to get on a plane you accept there is a risk of some (possibly serious) event.  So when it makes a crap landing it is unfortunate but "that's life" but you have already accepted that risk. So I really disappoints me I see people starting to sue over the BA crash last month.  There is no allegation (that I have seen) that there is negligence or even that it was BA's fault.  Just they are traumatised and want cash.  If they are so sensitive to life's events maybe they should have stayed at home.  they took the risk, it did not go they way. In fact, even if negligence was involved it is maybe just another factor affecting the "risk".  People make mistakes.  They always have, and probably always will.  things get missed sometimes.  Unfortunate but part of life. I really hope this attitude goes away soon. Ian
  3. My Sky box has a slightly different coax plug (i.e. not the standard TV coax plug).  You can buy them (the Sky/satellite plugs to go on the cable) in the bricos.  they are easy to fit and do not need soldering on. Ian
  4. [quote user="Tresco"][quote user="5-element"]...But I agree that the same laws and rules should apply to all. [/quote] The Archbishop of Canterbury disagrees.[8-)]  I really do find this odd, or even unbelievable. http://www.guardian.co.uk/religion/Story/0,,2254075,00.html [/quote] I think to get the real answer we should ask the Pope.  After all, he is infallible so his answer must be right (or is it inflammable) But I agree it strange that he (the Archbishop) should come out with such a comment EXCEPT that I suspect he also wants special treatment in law for at least certain groups of Christians. What gets even more worrying in the article is that Gordon's spokesperson says that "concessions to sharia law could be made on a case-by-case basis" I think the Christian based religions are just as keen at having their own special "exemptions" except then don't have a name for it.  Its easy to refer to "sharia law" but it is effectively the same thing when Catholics want to be exempt from equality laws (e.. not having to treat prospective adoption parents who are the same sex equivalently to more traditional couples). Ian
  5. I suppose what I find disappointing is that special rules are being made to allow specific religions beneficial conditions to everybody else.  If having more than wife is illegal under UK law then people who have married more than one (overseas) should not be given additional benefits.  Same laws and rules should apply to all.  Just because Islamic law says you can have up to 4 wives does not mean that UK laws should allow this but only for Islamic people.  Either allow everybody to do it or don't - no special rules for specific religions. In fact I suspect its all a bit sexist as I have not heard of a Muslim woman being allowed 4 husbands - so how would UK/EU laws of sexual discrimination stand. Ian
  6. I thought that being married to more than one person was illegal in the UK (and that people could be prosecuted for it).  If this (my understanding) is correct, how then are some UK residents married to more than one person (at the same time) and not being prosecuted ? Ian
  7. That's a bit like asking where I live.  I have been sailing all my life (at least since the age of 6) - big/small, cruisers/racers/long distance delivery.  At the moment I live too far from the sea to do much sea sailing so am limited to dinghys on inland lakes.  It is actually something that surprises me in France is that the French do not need a very big lake to sail on - and they then go and put day-boats on it as well !!! Ian
  8. When greeting a Notaire should one use Monsieur <surname> or Maître <surname> (or have I got the wrong end of the stick here) ? Ian
  9. When I had an open fire it was excellent at removing all the warm air from the house.  You get the open fire going and it starts a good flow of air up the chimney and then sucks air in from the easier paths (e.g. the room).  This then sends all the existing warm air up the chimney and starts sucking more (cold) air in from outside which it can then warm and send up the chimney.  Of course it does radiate heat - which warms the air that is shortly afterwards sucked-up the chimney .... I then got a good quality wood burning stove installed and it is fantastic.  Really heats the room well, no fumes, etc.  They are not cheap to buy/have installed but are excellent.  I suppose I am fortunate in having enough land with enough trees that I will never need to buy wood - so I cannot talk about running costs as mine is free for me. Ian
  10. Oh, re classes.  The FFVoile site will point you to class associations (used to anyway) but I found the class association I was meant to join totally useless - never replied to anything, just operated like tax collectors (they would take your money once per year).  Thus, although I strongly believe in joining the class association for classes one is involved in, I wont waste my money.  I have only come across one regatta where they required membership of class association -it was in mid winter and too cold for me but they were trying to persuade me to go along.  Other regattas ahve not bothered about it. The "season" actually starts/ends Sept'ish (or around then - not a Jan to Dec); though the FFV license is a Jan to Dec thing. (I'll shut-up now) Ian
  11. I don't know the area but I have a friend who has great problems finding somebody to trim her dog (the dog is not trimmed to be beautiful but has a mega coat and needs doing twice a year). Ian
  12. Try http://www.ffvoile.net/ffv/web/ (Fédération Francaise de Voile - French equivalent of the RYA).  For some strange and uncharacteristic reason sailing a small dinghy is moderately un-regulated in France.  Sailing larger boats (with engines) is somewhat more regulated but the humble dinghy seems to have escaped a lot of regulatory attention.  There are regulations for but more related to the dinghy rather than the helm/crew.  You need to buy a license (approx 45€ per year and purchased from the FFVoile through the club you join) and this actually includes 3d party liability insurance. Clubs and facilities vary quite a lot and my experience of France (which is quite local) is that it is very different from UK clubs I remember from more than 10 years ago.  A lot of clubs seem to employ a full time professional and the club is open 7 days a week.  However, they do not seem to do much "club racing" (e.g. spring series, wed evening series, etc.)  There are regattas organised by clubs under a complex scheme of classifications (Departmental, Regional and National and the points you achieve depends on the type of regatta and if it is "your area" - so do a departmental regatta in a neighbouring department and you will probably be welcome but get no points.  If that is what you are interested in then ask more and I will go into more detail. The web site above has a section on finding a club and is quite good at giving all the clubs in each department, plus contact info, etc. A lot of the racing I have come across is handicap racing, though larger clubs do have fleets.  I got a Laser as with that you get the best competition even in handicap fleets (i.e. other Lasers, though Radials are more popular in France that Standard rigs).  Fleets do tend to be split for handicap by "single handers" and "double handers". Insurance can be challenging - it took me many months to get everything covered properly.  It was amusing that some insurance companies who sponsor the mega fast tri's with their logos all over the hulls/sails then are not interested in providing you insurance. You can often rent/hire boats at a club - though the range and state are variable. Hope this helps - there are loads of aspects I could waffle on about so maybe easier if you have more specific questions. Ian
  13. I am no expert but normally you and the seller would use a Notaire for the property transaction.  In fact I don't think a French layer can do this and you MUST use a Notaire.  You might be able to use a Layer as well but unless there are complications I would think you would be wasting your money. Also, from a business/tax perspective I would think an accountant might be more help.  Always consider if you need somebody local as there is a OK'ish telephone system in France that allows reasonable communications between distant places.  My own accountant is some distance away (actually I don't know where he is without looking at his headed paper).  I always deal with him via e-mail and telephone and it works well. But I am no expert. Ian
  14. I have always taken the attitude that a fosse is big and pretty full of liquid.  Thus, small quantities of anything will very quickly get very diluted.  I suppose it depends on how often and how much of the chemicals you use.  I suppose some people are obsessive cleaners and are forever pouring bleaches down their toilets - and it would then be important to make sure its absolutely "fosse safe".  However, little occasionally never worries me.  I believe they are pretty robust things if you behave sensibly.  However, I generally don't like using more chemical stuff than I have to. Some people do seem to continually worry about their fosses - better things to get concerned about in life.  I just get on with my life and the fosse seems to get on with its life.  I don't even bother with the fosse stuff you buy that you throw down the toilet to "re-activate" or "keep it going".  It seems to get on OK without them. That said I cannot say "you are fine with xxx".  Just for me I've never worried and never had problems. Ian EDIT: Sorry, ignore the above as I do not KNOW the answer.
  15. [quote user="Gluestick"]I doubt people will employ the term "magic" to describe the UK economy and society in a few short months time........................ [/quote] I have to agree.  I am no economist but I remember 4 or 5 years ago people were talking about the economic problems being stored up for political short term gain at the time (the "Blair/Brown aren't we doing well talk" - and it was business people saying that rather than those who were anti the government policies.  And now we are seeing pretty well what they were saying happening close around when they said it would happen. Things are going to start getting interesting in the UK. Ian
  16. Being single I cannot really comment on the costs for a couple. I certainly live on a lot less each month than I ever used to in the UK (really significant).  I've been here for long enough now that I cannot make UK/France comparisons.  Certainly, when I first moved here 4 years ago French shops seemed a lot cheaper and as somebody else said you then get to find what is best value where (which made things even better).  Maybe France has experienced inflation faster than the UK.  Last Christmas when I helped family shopping in the UK I was horrified at UK supermarket prices - but that is not a very scientific comparison. Irrespective of the cost of your "EU standard shopping basket" comparisons what really matters is what you need to spend each month.  I found that my lifestyle changed such that I no longer needed to buy anything like as much as I did in the UK.  I have not yet started limiting what I do and not yet started "living frugally".  I find loads of things to join in with and they are all free of much cheaper than similar activities in the UK. Ian
  17. [quote user="Boiling a frog"]By my  calculations one woud have to have an income in excess of 55000 euros in order for it to be more benificial to have totally private health care V CMU and top up. [/quote] From that I would estimate a Private Insurance premium of around 4400€ per year !!! I'm sure you could manage to pay a lot more and we could then start posting "I'd have to be earning 100 000 000€ to get PHI ...". Maybe it depends on your age but I've been offered the same cover as provided by CPAM (i.e. doctors appointments, long term illnesses, etc. - but no pre-existing conditions) for a third of that but I am only in my 50's.  And that was a policy from a major French bank. Ian
  18. I have no specialist knowledge, but have had a job where I have felt like walking out and suing for the "Constructive Dismissal".  However, I was always told that if you intend to seek compensation/damages under the "Constructive Dismissal" route then you are better doing it whilst still employed rather than after leaving.  If you have departed the company I guess the burden of evidence must be that much stronger to achieve the same result. Anyway, I'm no expert and what little I am aware of is UK and not French.  Given the costs of long term sickness in France (particularly if the sickness extends more than 2.5 years (or whatever it is) I would have expected any employer to take anything that could result in sickness quite seriously.  I know some/many employers take out insurance to protect themselves from the costs of "long tern sickness" but I would have thought gov financed schools would have to bear the costs from their budgets. Ian
  19. I appreciate it is of little help but in my experience (actual experience, not my thinking aloud) those to behave in such a manner are often quite insecure.  I have seen it in people who are new to a company and feel they have to prove themselves (and if they are brought in at a senior level, some others might start behaving in a similar manner - sort of trying to be a "kindred spirit" to their new boss).  Other times I've seen it is people who are not so good at doing what they are meant to and have to try and be "superior" in other ways (also to cover-up that they are not great at their jobs). I'm sure there are other circumstances but I'm just describing where I've seen it happen. Those to behave in such a way only speak volumes about their own character/nature and whilst I expect others see what is happening, in the UK people are not generally motivated to sort out the offending person. Ian
  20. Orange/Wanadoo have been having major problems with their e-mail systems over the last few days.  A couple of days ago some mails would be held "somewhere" for 24 hrs and bounced back to the sender.  I did some tests and it was over 50% bouncing after a delay.  To make things harder, sometimes the mail would be delivered after a day but also bounce back.  Wanadoo acknowledge these problems. It is meant to be sorted now and mails to seem to have stopped bouncing but delivery is very "bunched" - in taht sometimes messages will be delayed then a load will come through together.  Seems to depend on which of the mail servers a message is actually delivered to at Wanadoo. Through all this sending is/was fine. Might be that your problems may be elsewhere. Ian
  21. Remember that if you fill in a French income tax return you can get some very good tax credits when you get a wood burning stove supplied and installed by a professional.  When I got mine it was 50% of the wood burner cost but I think there is now an additional percentage credit on the chimney liner. Check with the supplier/installer if this is a major factor.  You still pay their entire bill but submit the invoice/paperwork with your tax return for the year the work was invoiced and then get the credit off your tax bill (for some this might result in a refund). Ian
  22. [quote user="Will"]There seems to be even more confusion about who issues the EHIC. I was under the impression, backed up by DWP information at http://www.dwp.gov.uk/international/sa29/medical_06.asp and other places, that your EHIC is issued by the same country that issues the E form, rather than the country where you are living. Though I appeciate that it may be different with E121. [/quote] I have no idea about the rules but when I moved here I assumed the EHIC would be issued by your country of residence.  Thus, when I registered with CPAM for cover under my E106 I asked for one at the same time.  It came through a couple of weeks later (same layout as the UK issues one but didn't really look at it too closely).   I cannot remember if it came through with, shortly before or shortly after the CV.  When I registered the lady wrote on the general paperwork that I wanted EHIC as well - no application form or anything (in my case). When they took my CV back earlier this month they ignored the EHC (though probably no good any more anyway). Ian
  23. I use the Orange Initial 7€ per month.  Dead easy.  Nothing to expire, nothing to top-up and probably not far off a minimal use PAYG as you don't end-up losing unused credit all the time. Other networks offer similar deals (at least I know SFR do - except, when I looked some time ago, they exclude some "nice to have" things and then charge a bit extra to have those (e.g. Caller number identification).  With Orange its all included. However, if you do go with the Orange Initial ask for and then double check they enable international roaming.  This seems to be a separate option from the make/receive international calls and when I eventually got it enabled I received an automatic SMS telling me it was now enabled (my FT shop could not do it and I needed to call Orange Customer Services to get it done). Ian
  24. [quote user="Eos"]They'd need to get a move on if they intend including cheques. Aren't they being phased out across Europe?[/quote] I'm probably miles behind the times here but I cannot see how they could phase out cheques in France in the foreseeable future.  They seem well established and quite a lot of people don't have CB cards and prefer to use cheques anyway.  In my local supermarket probably as many people pay by cheque as by card. I don't tend to use cheques much but do you have to pay for cheques like you pay for your CB card ? (might be a reason so many people don't have CB cards ?) Ian
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