Deimos

(A bit if an aside but) One thing is the case of the Ghanaian woman who required dialysis.  Her visa had long ago expired and she was already in the UK illegally and being treated by the NHS.  After many checks on treatment availability in Ghana the UK authorities deported her and she is now receiving treatment in Ghana.  What I find interesting is how the UK press has "latched-on" to this story and made quite a big thing of it.  The woman was illegally in the UK, the UK government checked she would be treated OK in her home country, etc. before deporting her and her treatment continued fine.  Contrast that to the withdrawal of treatment from loads of British citizens by a retrospective law change.  That these British citizens have no option to return home to get treatment, are already legally residing in another EU country, etc. - yet the British press have not really picked-up the story to any great extend.  I'm not arguing about the rights and wrongs of the case - just the comment it has invoked when compared to the actions by the French. Ian

[quote user="max"] deimos said And why not.  Of course for each person who does it would mean one less French person being employed.  deimos do not worry about the french they are already on the system max [/quote] I think you may have missed my point.  France has a big problem - too many un-employed people who need work.  To start forcing people to into work just to get health cover - when they financially need no work (and would pay for health cover) is just daft as it makes the already bad employment problem worse.  These "inactif" people can afford not to work and are happy to pay to join the system. Allowing people (e.g. French) to retire early if they can afford it frees up jobs and helps ease the dire employment difficulties.  All in all a good thing (fewer riots, fewer cars burning, more dynamic economy, etc., etc.)  and everybody is happy.  Of course you have to think more than half a step ahead for thing like that. Ian

[quote user="max"] but it looks like some of you might have to work too. [/quote] And why not.  Of course for each person who does it would mean one less French person being employed.  But then it would give the kids more time and excuse to go and burn some more cars. In my opinion early retirement is excellent for everybody.  Those that can afford it have a better life whilst (and from the French perspective more importantly) their job becomes available, allowing people to move up through companies and freeing up more jobs for the un-employed.  So instead of maying out RMI, putting out fires (the cars burning, etc.) France would get tax, etc. from more employed people, etc. and maybe the economy would start to pick-up a bit. Ian

[quote user="cooperlola"] I understand everybody's cinicism, I really do.  But believe me when I tell you that the Embassy staff in Paris have, and continue to, put our case. [/quote] But is that the "case" for the French to start getting the regions to implement the new rules or the case for expired E106's being allowed to join the CMU (healthy or otherwise).  Every contact I have had with the British Embassy has shown that they are waiting for the French to clarify their updated rules(and they have been checking and getting back - so not just a "we are doing everything" response).  Nothing about putting any pressure (or even mild suggestions) for those who will continue to be excluded. I should clarify it is a question NOT a comment.  I am sure you have far better contacts than I do at the Embassy. Ian

[quote user="Will"] We pay (substantial) tax and social security charges in both countries, and as a French taxpayer I don't see why I should be expected to pay for early retired immigrants to live a life of leisure subsidised by me - and feel the same from the British taxpayer viewpoint. [/quote] I don't think any of the "inactifs" is looking to be "subsidised" by other tax payers (at least not most people) - not nobody seems to be listening to that bit and keep going on about "why should I subsidise ...".  CMU-B is a contributory scheme.  You pay and it is expensive (for me far more expensive than private insurance - and even my CPAM realised this).  If the contributions the French government are asking for are not adequate then then can always increase the rate or band it or something. I do not consider this to be about money and government budgets.  What they are actually achieving is to keep those who need ongoing treatment (i.e. more expensive and long term costs) in the CMU whilst those rejected are the younger (pre-retirement age) and probably healthier without ongoing medical costs.  Thus throw out the net contributors and keep those who represent a net cost.  If they had any grey matter they would realise that insurance type schemes only work when you have a good cross section and the healthy subsidise the ill.  Then the ill then hopefully get better and maybe some unfortunate healthy people get ill and they are subsidising the other way round, etc.  Throw out the healthy and your budget balance gets even worse !! My major problem is that I am not allowed to join the CMU and NOT ALLOWED TO TAKE OUT PRIVATE INSURANCE.  This is not that I cannot get private insurance (for me having no existing problems it is a telephone call with a credit card).  The problem is that my CPAM 's understanding is that Private Insurance in France is illegal without certain documents and it is going to take them an unknown delay to get me these documents and that in the mean time I am not allowed to have any health cover.  No question about paying anybody - just not allowed to pay anybody. Ian

Also, they are not tests but treatments.  Treatments for ticks and worms.  Whilst the treatment used might vary a bit, you might not want to do your routine tick and worm treatments too close to travelling. Ian

[quote user="Joshua"]from the Lady who likes to say NO. NO to affiliation to CMU for anyone with an expiring E106, under any circumstances ... [/quote] In my case add to that "And you are not allowed to take out private insurance". So now I'm not allowed to be covered by CPAM/CMU/E106 and not allowed to pay for Private Insurance either. Ian

I'd definately avoid any of the Wanadoo/Orange software.  It is terrible. Ian

Other than "pride" and similar reasons, I've not seen any real justifications for the continual re-registration of vehicles when you move.  It does seem like more paperwork and keeping people in pointless jobs, etc.  However, might be that I'm not seen the important justification for this bureaucracy. The "get rid of departments" is an interesting one given that they have just spent what must have been quote a lot of money passing Route Nationales to the departments and going through re-doing loads of road signs, maps, etc.  Given that that process (and costs) is just about complete, probably about the right timescales to go and change it all again. Ian

I tend to look at http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/europe/surface_pressure.html (updates 8:30 am each day) - as it covers Europe not just the UK.  When (some) start forecasting rain one can normally verify if it is actually going to happen in the next few hours by checking http://www.meteox.com/h.aspx?r=&soort=loop3uur&URL - and it is surprising how often they forecast showers or rain and you can see that there is none around or what there is is going to miss you completely.  I have found some of the UK sites (e.g. Accuweather) just totally inaccurate (I assume there is somewhere called France south of the equator because they cannot be talking about the same France I live in).  I do find the Weather Channel (http://uk.weather.com/weather/local/FRXX0048 for Le Mans) quite good/accurate (same forecast as the .fr version - just presented in a different layout and the .uk one allows you to see greater detail). Ian

The wonderful about the various weather forecasts at the moment (i.e. over the last year or so) is that you can really chose your weather.  If it look rainy and miserable in Meteo France, then try Meteocheck or the Weather Channel or Meteo consult.  It is bound to be sunny and dry on one or more (with everything in-between on the different ones) They do seem to have great difficulty in getting a consistent forecast between the different providers - even for short term (later today or tomorrow). Ian

[quote user="tel"] The problem with BBCi is that when downloading you agree to share your files on the internet, P2P. [/quote] Something Sarkozy's new anti-piracy scheme is going to use to detect people illegal "file sharing" !!  No idea if it will set of the "alarms" and get people warning letters though. Some Radio internet stations are slipping in "we might use some of your unused upload bandwidth" (e.g. Radio Caroline through their 64k feed via Abacast). Ian

[quote user="tel"] ... All ISP's have a usage limit 10gb, 20gb etc per month and this is most cases includes uploads as well as downloads. [/quote] Does that include French ones ?   I thought my Orange ADSL had no data limits.  Not been able to find out about any but they may be well buried in small print. Ian

[quote user="Tourangelle"]... honestly the guy is going to lose all credibility. [/quote] You mean he hasn't already ? Ian

That is UK pricing for you.  Much cheaper once in France. Last one I had done was:     Blood test €55 (=£38)     Rabies vaccination €28 (=£20)     Pet Passports as they were free.  Vet did all the paperwork and supplied the Passport booklet for free.  Vaccinations Ian

You can get some double sided ones that virtually double capacity but I think only in -RW format not +RW format.  Not all shops stock them, I've only ever seen a limited selection and they were expensive.  Plus, not all DVD recorders support them (the double sided bit).  As CJL says, you can normally change the record "speed" and going down a little will give you enough for a feature film with no real noticale loss of quality (at least I don't notice it). Ian

He may have woken-up but he (and FCO) are still doing nothing - just waiting for the French government.  They seem to have no intention about putting on any pressure for (ex) E106 holders.  Its all just they will let us know what the French say. Ian

[quote user="Will"] The World Bank figures for GNI (gross national income) per capita puts France at US $34,810 and UK at US $37,600. So there isn't much in it. [/quote] (Ignoring the Mail aspect,) I find it interesting how similar the two countries are (on Will's World Bank figures).  People are regularly pointing out how poor people are in France, have much less money but even with reliable figures it seems the difference is not as large as people have suggested in the "lets rubbish France" posts. However, I guess another aspect is the distribution of that income (i.e. few very rich and loads of poor or many people around the average).  whenever you get figures, they seem to prompt further questions requiring more data, etc. Ian

[quote user="sunshine 2"]Deimos - what was the reason given for not taking PHI out yet please? [/quote] PHI is illegal unless you have been refused state cover (seems that those rules have not changed).  Thus they told me that I must apply to join the CMU, that I will be refused and I will then get a letter of refusal and only once I have the letter of refusal can I take out PHI. I had already asked for a letter of "no more cover from UK" from DWP (in French) and that was submitted as part of my CMU-B application.  I remember people saying ages ago (before all this CMU stuff started) that PHI was not actually illegal but you were only allowed it if state cover had been refused.  Seems that this is still the case and you cannot take out PHIU until you have been refused state cover - and have a letter of refusal. (I actually visited my CPAM, the person went and spent some time checking with a supervisor, then came back and spent quite a lot more time on the telephone.  She was also very helpful and cooperative so nothing caused by an "unhelpful" assistant.  She helped fill in the CMU application, though did take and invalidate my Carte Vitale and state no cover from CPAM as of 5/Jan). Thus I am sort of "in limbo", unable to take out a much cheaper PHI and unable to pay for the more expensive CMU-B with no health cover possible and an FCO that could not give "a monkeys". Ian

I have been doing a lot of paperwork the last week and had Sky on in the background.  Every day around 15:00 (different channels) it starts breaking up, pixellating and losing sound.  Problem stays if I switch channels (though have not tried them all !!).  I find that unplugging the box for 30 secs and re-starting solves the problem for a few hours when it briefly happens a bit more sometimes, but then is fine until the next day.  Just switching off does not solve the problem - required unplugging. As it happens every day (that I've had it of - which is most) it has been through a variety of weather conditions so in not e.g. wind or heavy rain).  As its been fine for years and is fine after unplugging then I doubt the dish alignment is out (Sky box shows excellent signal strength and quality even when its pixellating and breaking up badly). I've no idea what it is and cannot be bothered to solve it as I suspect it will just go away at some point and cannot think of how it can relate to my system (but open to ideas).  I don't know if this might be a similar thing to the original question/problem. Ian

[quote user="cooperlola"]... - the world is not "going mad" - these things have always happened. [/quote] Maybe the what is "mad" is that the human race cannot manage and improve on these things.  We can see them happening, recognise them as being wrong, etc. but seem unable to do anything about it.  Makes one wonder how far civilisation has come. Ian

[quote user="Caussenarde"]Deimos, La fouine is not protected anywhere in France and is chassable, by chasseurs. One does not have the right to kill them by poisoning. cheers [/quote] My local hunt think it is protected in some areas - and get vague when asked in it is protected in my area - and just say "it is a pets" and they "get rid of them". I have the impression that a lot/most/all (no idea which) poisoning has been stopped these days.  Certainly 4 years ago they were poisoning Ragondin but not for several years.  3 years ago I was warned they were going to start a poisoning "campaign" against the Ragondin but it never happened and now it is certainly banned round here (as the hunters have no qualms about poisoning them). Ian

[quote user="oakbri"]I read recently that one of the UK supermarket chains was going allow muslim check out staff to refuse to serve alcohol to people. Don't ask me to prove it as it was way before christmas and I can't remember where I read it ... [/quote] It was in http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article2558198.ece Maybe it is time we stopped forcing Catholics to handle condoms at checkouts as well.  And should vegetarian check out assistance be forced to handle meat, etc., etc.  UK has gone totally mad. Are the various religious "groups" just pushing to see how far they can go.  Seems to me what when to take on a job with duties, it is a bit "out of order" to present yourself as being able to do the job and then start refusing to carry out as aspect.  If things changed after you have started (e.g. shop starts selling alcohol or you are moved to a new role requiring new things you cannot undertake) then maybe you have a case but suddenly deciding for personal reasons you are no longer happy to undertake the job you applied for and got. Ian

At least he is sticking with his election campain [IMG]http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c90/ib72/Sarkozy.jpg[/IMG]

Others would know the true facts but I am told that fouines are not protected everywhere.  I have been told that around me they are not protected - but that was from both a farmer and a hunter who might just be passing their own opinion rather than the true state of protection.  They do seem generally regarded as pests. That said, the moth balls or similar techniques is ideal is it does not directly hurt the animals, but just encourages them to "move on". Ian