Wilko

Apologies if ths has appeared before but it made me smile in these trying times. Rgds Wilko Subject: Passport Application Dear Minister, I'm in the process of renewing my passport but I am a total loss to understand or believe the hoops I am being asked to jump through. How is it that Bert Smith of T.V. Rentals Basingstoke has my address and telephone number and knows that I bought a satellite dish from them back in 1994, and yet, the Government is still asking me where I was born and on what date? How come that nice West African immigrant chappy who comes round every Thursday night with his DVD rentals van can tell me every film or video I have had out since he started his business up eleven years ago, yet you still want me to remind you of my last three jobs, two of which were with contractors working for the government? How come the T.V. detector van can tell if my T.V. is on, what channel I am watching and whether I have paid my licence or not, and yet if I win the government run lottery they have no idea I have won or where I am and will keep the bloody money to themselves if I fail to claim in good time. Do you people do this by hand? You have my birth date on numerous files you hold on me, including the one with all the income tax forms I've filed for the past 30-odd years. It's on my health insurance card, my driver's licence, on the last four passports I've had, on all those stupid customs declaration forms I've had to fill out before being allowed off the planes and boats over the last 30 years, and all those insufferable census forms that are done every ten years and the electoral registration forms I have to complete, by law, every time our lords and masters are up for re-election. Would somebody please take note, once and for all, I was born in Maidenhead on the 4th of March 1957, my mother's name is Mary, her maiden name was Reynolds, my father's name is Robert, and I'd be absolutely astounded if that ever changed between now and the day I die! I apologise Minister. I'm obviously not myself this morning. But between you and me, I have simply had enough! You mail the application to my house, then you ask me for my address. What is going on? Do you have a gang of Neanderthals working there? Look at my damn picture. Do I look like Bin Laden? I don't want to activate the Fifth Reich for God's sake! I just want to go and park my weary backside on a sunny, sandy beach for a couple of week's well-earned rest away from all this crap. Well, I have to go now, because I have to go to back to Salisbury and get another copy of my birth certificate because you lost the last one. AND to the tune of 60 quid! What a racket THAT is!! Would it be so complicated to have all the services in the same spot to assist in the issuance of a new passport the same day? But nooooo, that'd be too damn easy and maybe make sense. You'd rather have us running all over the place like chickens with our heads cut off, then find some tosser to confirm that it's really me on the goddamn picture - you know... the one where we're not allowed to smile in in case we look as if we are enjoying the process! Hey, you know why we can't smile? 'Cause we're totally jacked off! I served in the armed forces for more than 25 years including over ten years at the Ministry of Defence in London . I have had security clearances which allowed me to sit in the Cabinet Office, five seats away from the Prime Minister while he was being briefed on the first Gulf War and I have been doing volunteer work for the British Red Cross ever since I left the Services. However, I have to get someone "important" to verify who I am -- you know, someone like my doctor... who, before he got his medical degree 6 months ago WAS LIVING IN PAKISTAN... Yours sincerely, An Irate British Citizen.    

Hi Clair Wen was that then ?? Rgds Wilko

Thank everyone for their replies, keep them coming. LLass. He has a set 3 course menu 12 euros with 2 choices for each, also a v. small a la carte. Rgds Wilko

Have to say  tho' that T/A works for us, why doesn't it work for you Jon ? Rgds Wilko

Hi Talked to the font of all knowledge, Mrs W, retired interior designer. If you are talking about real lino, whch is wholly eco friendly, you cannot get it in black and white, however you can get it in off white, ivory, and dark, dark grey. Forbo Nairn in the UK sell it. If you do find B&W it will be PVC and I would never use such disgusting product. Good luck Wilko

Choccie Thanks for your reply., obviously bit  of a misunderstanding. The guy wants to know which french dishes would most appeal to foreigners/brits etc. Apologies for te confusion. Rgds Wilko  

Hi I was asked by the patron of our local bar yesterday wat we thought etrangers/english would most like to eat in his new restaurant. We had just had moules frites which were excellent. He obviously has his eye on the new season and is wondering what to put on the menu to attract toursists. His luncheon menu is priced at 12 euros, 3 courses, vin compris. Any thoughts on what you'd like to see on the menu ? Rgds Wilko 

P2 If it wasn't for R/Air BA would not be offering prices at their current level, they have to compete. O'Leary has changed european  flight prices forever, and good luck to him. I can't wait till he starts opening up the US market, that'll be really interesing. All this whinging about R/Air is pathetic, half the people on this site maybe wouldn't have second homes in France if  R/Air and their like hadn't happened. So he profits from the CC charges but he's still cheaper than BA. To compare this to the the overcharging of the banks is ridiculous.he provides a service, he gets you from A to B, the banks just rip you off !!! Rock on O'Leary Regards Wilko  

Hi Poolguy Have sent you a pm Wilko

Dick Smith said "but I am more likely to believe the American Heart Foundation, the US Surgeon General, the BMA etc.," So that's the people who gave Seroxat a clean bill of health then ! " plus all of the peer-reviewed research " paid for by the drug companies !! Iceni; get a life, start taking statins ! Rgds Wilko

Hi Thanks for your responses. Apologies wrong web site try this, check members.         http://www.thincs.org/ £20 million should be £20 billion, not chicken feed ! Somebody is making loads of sponduliks somewhere along the line and I find it hard to believe that the drug companies are missing out. One of the things that seems to come from the above site is that it may well be preferable to have high cholesterol levels than low ones !!! Not just one doctor but many. How do you know that statins are doing you any good, you're alive, or harm ? Liver damage ? I think that one of the major failings is that generally speaking the medical profession do not take it as their remitt to question the research papers to which they have access regardng field tests on drugs which in the majority of cases are funded by the drug companies themselves. The findings that wine is good for your heart, I understand, was paid for by the french wine industry. More than 60% of these research papers hardly see the light of day, after spending shedloads on research, anything slightly negative will never be widely publicised, if at all, as this will be detrimental to the investors bottom line. This was mentioned tonight on the Beeb with reference to the scandal SEROXAT from your friendly drug company Glaxo.They knew of the drugs side effects in 1997 but didn't tell anyone till 2003. In those 6 years 30,000 prescriptions were issued for this drug annually in the Uk alone. So much for ethical responsibility !! Voila ! As the statin biz is worth £20 billion do you think that the drug companies will not protect their asset. I find them wholly untrustworthy and their lobbying power and huge wealth will always protect their position. This is a protectionist conspiracy by the drug companies not doctors, they should have access to the results of all trials. I only want to know the best course of action to take, it might be life and death, the problem is that it is difficult to find unbiased opinion and fact. Bon sante Wilko    

Hi I've been taking statins for  high cholesterol for 5 years. I have recently found that side effects are kicking in. A friend sent me this web address: http://www.spiked-online.com/Articles/0000000CAE78.htm I think that this, and other articles on the site, may well be of interest to people being prescribed these drugs. This industry in statins, the biggest selling drug in the world, £20 million per annum in sales...............is it saving lives or making the big drug companies very rich ??? Any thoughts ?? Rgds Wilko

So there I know, I know. Life's too short "Ain't it a shame " Who said that ? luv Wlko

Bob's gonna sue !!!!!!!!  

I'd get a second opinion, sounds like b/shit to me.........what your lawyer is saying. Good luck Wilko

Well said artsole. I'll just put "Blood on the Tracks" on again. Where do you live in the Vaucluse ? Regds Wilko

We cleaned ours with our Karcher.....worked perfectly. We didn't stain ours as we wanted them to weather naturally, to give them a natural patina. Happy roofing Wilko

Raindog Good luck ! Mrs W couldn't see the funny side at all. Strange I thought, ?? Wilko

Maybe we already have sharia law ?? Seems like a good idea !!!!!   An Actual 1955 Good Housekeeping article.

I expect you've seen this by now but, whilst not a zenophobe myself, I think it approaches the immigrant issue from a stand point of clarity, don't you?. We Need Leaders Like This!                   Prime Minister John Howard - Australia   Muslims who want to live under Islamic Sharia law were told on Wednesday to get out of Australia , as the government targeted radicals in a bid to head off potential terror attacks. A day after a group of mainstream Muslim leaders pledged loyalty to Australia and her Queen at a special meeting with Prime Minister John Howard, he and his Ministers made it clear that extremists would face a crackdown. Treasurer Peter Costello, seen as heir apparent to Howard, hinted that some radical clerics could be asked to leave the country if they did not accept that Australia was a secular state, and its laws were made by parliament. "If those are not your values, if you want a country which has Sharia law or a theocratic state, then Australia is not for you", he said on National Television "I'd be saying to clerics who are teaching that there are two laws governing people in Australia : one the Australian law and another Islamic law that is false. If you can't agree with parliamentary law, independent courts, democracy, and would prefer Sharia law and have the opportunity to go to another country, which practices it, perhaps, then, that's a better option", Costello said. Asked whether he meant radical clerics would be forced to leave, he said those with dual citizenship could possibly be asked to move to the other country. Education Minister Brendan Nelson later told reporters that Muslims who did not want to accept local values should "clear off. Basically people who don't want to be Australians, and who don't want, to live by Australian values and understand them, well then, they can basically clear off", he said. Separately, Howard angered some Australian Muslims on Wednesday by saying he supported spy agencies monitoring the nation's mosques. Quote: "IMMIGRANTS, NOT AUSTRALIANS, MUST ADAPT. Take It Or Leave It. I am tired of this nation worrying about whether we are offending some individual or their culture. Since the terrorist attacks on Bali , we have experienced a surge in patriotism by the majority of Australians." "However, the dust from the attacks had barely settled when the 'politically correct' crowd began complaining about the possibility that our patriotism was offending others. I am not against immigration, nor do I hold a grudge against anyone who is seeking a better life by coming to Australia " "However, there are a few things that those who have recently come to our country, and apparently some born here, need to understand." "This idea of Australia being a multi-cultural community has served only to dilute our sovereignty and our national identity. And as Australians, we have our own culture, our own society, our own language and our own lifestyle."< /B> "This culture has been developed over two centuries of struggles, trials and victories by millions of men and women who have sought freedom" "We speak mainly ENGLISH, not Spanish, Lebanese, Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Russian, or any other language. Therefore, if you wish to become part of our society . Learn the language!" "Most Australians believe in God. This is not some Christian, right wing, political push, but a fact, because Christian men and women, on Christian principles, founded this nation, and this is clearly documented. It is certainly appropriate to display it on the walls of our schools. If God offends you, then I suggest you consider another part of the world as your new home, because God is part of our culture." "We will accept your beliefs, and will not question why. All we ask is that you accept ours, and live in harmony and peaceful enjoyment with us." "If the Southern Cross offends you, or you don't like "A Fair Go", then you should seriously consider a move to another part of this planet. We are happy with our culture and have no desire to change, and we really don't care how you did things where you came from. By all means, keep your culture, but do not force it on others. "This is OUR COUNTRY, OUR LAND, and OUR LIFESTYLE, and we will allow you every opportunity to enjoy all this. But once you are done complaining, whining, and griping about Our Flag, Our Pledge, Our Christian beliefs, or Our Way of Life, I highly encourage you take advantage of one other great Australian freedom, 'THE RIGHT TO LEAVE'." "If you aren't happy here then LEAVE. We didn't force you to come here. You asked to be here. So accept the country YOU accepted." Maybe if we circulate this amongst ourselves, American citizens will find the backbone to start speaking and voicing the same truths. If you agree please SEND THIS ON  

The Clarks are corect wth a woodburning stove you do not need a full length flexible flu (expensive)  if the chimney is in reasonable condition. I would not put a wood burning stove into a fireplace as the heat loss is enormous. If you have to use the fireplace I would fit an insert which we find to be much more effcient, not to mention cheaper to buy, tho with an insert you will have to have a full length flexible flu. We have 2 Godin woodburners and an insert.........I just need to buy a forest in the near future. Stay Warm wilko

Have sent you a pm Wilko

Avignon scary ????? Why ? We live 20 minutes from Avignon, visit it a lot, lovely place. Parking easy, great atmosphere and restos and i have never found it to be like a zoo,  even during the festival. Try the eastern side, away from the tourists, around the university, prices down 20/30% on Place d'Horloge. Rgds Wilko

Hi Muzie Which Belgian and Dutch sites work for you ? Rgds Wilko

PG Are there any instruments that can measure all 6 levels in the chemistry and if so what would you recommend ? We have a salt water pool, very happy with it. Cheers Wilko