ali-cat

Benjamin PM Sent. Mr Cat    

Daffie You may fall into a category of inactives whose position has yet to be clarified.  I.E. those having E121 cover as a consequence of receiving UK Incapacity Benefit,  who were legally resident in France before 23rd November 2007 when the new French Residency laws came into effect. The following is an excerpt from the French Health Issues website : If your form E121 is withdrawn If for any reason your form E121 is withdrawn, for example, because your lose your entitlement to UK disability benefit, then: If you became resident in France after 23rd November 2007, upon the withdrawal of form E121 you will be obliged to obtain private health insurance until either you have been resident in France for five years, receive cover under a subsequent form E121 or are able to “piggy-back” onto a partner’s form E106 or E121. If you were resident in France on or before 23rd November 2007, then the position is unclear, but: The Minister’s latest concession, as per her letter dated 23rd January 2008, referred only to E106 holders. Strictly, therefore, upon expiry of form E121 you will be obliged to obtain private health insurance until you have been resident in France for 5 years, receive cover under from a subsequent form E121 or are “ayant droit” (able to “piggy-back”) onto a partner’s form E106 or E121. However, The view of the British Embassy is that all EU citizens, resident in France on or before 23rd November 2007 will be entitled to affiliate to CMU. Equally, as it is unlikely that either category would be able to obtain private healthcare on E121 expiry, to cover their conditions, then they may be granted CMU entry under the “accident of life” provisions, outlined in the December statement. End of excerpt   If it is the case that you were legally resident in France before 23rd November 2007,  then it should follow that you are afforded the concession of being allowed to affiliate to CMU, a concession specifically stated for those holding other E forms, but not for those holding IB E121s.  To my knowledge this has yet to be tested,  although the British Embassy is on record as stating that the cases of people in this position would be 'considered sympathetically'.  There is a principle of propotionality in european law and it could be argued that the penalty of losing one's residency as a consequence of a law being applied retrospectively is disproportionate. Perhaps the British Embassy's commitment that, those who were also fully complying with the law prior to November 2007, will be treated sympathetically, should be tested now.  Good luck! Further information can be found here : http://www.frenchhealthissues.eu/default.htm Mr Cat  

[quote user="velcorin"] Unfortunately brianagain "Aerospace" is not within the scope of the "Manufacturing" catergory, so officially is not considered "Manufacturing" ! Bizarre, I know, that was my point in an earlier post. UK strengths in Defence, Aerospace, Pharma, Petro, Plastics, the hi-tech, hi-value, areas of an economy are not considered (internationally) as "Manufacturing" which is just low value metal bashing, inorganic chemicals, etc. The definition needs dragging into the modern world. [/quote]   Are you sure Velcorin?  UK Standard Industrial Classification SIC 2007 places Aerospace manufacturing firmly with Category C - Manufacturing under heading 30.4.  Same as the Eurostat NACE and North American NAICS systems.  Unless you're talking about technical consultancy which would be a service activity or the media's use of industrial classifications which are typically all over the place. Slow day, I know.   Mr Cat  

Just been announced that ALL Eurostar trains from St Pancras have been cancelled, today.  Edit: Make that all trains from all stations!!

Dodged the bullet this time but now Gordy's promising to tour the world to drum up a better deal along the lines of the rich countries (including us) needing to fund the developing countries (including China and India) to grow more sustainably. Now, I believe that the major creditors for the massive public debts run up in the UK etc include China and India.  So Gordy's intending to borrow billions from China and India at extortionate interest rates so that we can then give it back to them to spend on 'green technology'. Is he 'aving a larf? Mr Cat  

Could Peak Oil be the real reason behind Copenhagen? From Wiki : "Optimistic estimations of peak production forecast the global decline will begin by 2020 or later, and assume major investments in alternatives will occur before a crisis, without requiring major changes in the lifestyle of heavily oil-consuming nations. These models show the price of oil at first escalating and then retreating as other types of fuel and energy sources are used.[4] Pessimistic predictions of future oil production operate on the thesis that either the peak has already occurred,[5][6][7][8] oil production is on the cusp of the peak, or that it will occur shortly.[9] As proactive mitigation may no longer be an option, a global depression is predicted, perhaps even initiating a chain reaction of the various feedback mechanisms in the global market which might stimulate a collapse of global industrial civilization, potentially leading to large population declines within a short period. Throughout the first two quarters of 2008, there were signs that a global recession was being made worse by a series of record oil prices"   Mr Cat

  Well worth a read before our illustrious leaders sign away billions more cash we don't have to keep the Maldives above sea level. http://www.americanthinker.com/2009/12/understanding_climategates_hid.html Now I admit I'm in no way capable of understanding all the science - even if all of the information was available and uncontested. But I am old enough to remember the 1970's and being continually told that we were heading for another ice age.  Moreover I'm always suspicious when politicians and the media jump on a bandwagon and apparently stifle any discussion to the contrary.  But the clincher for me is that politicians worlwide are not exactly known for long-term thinking or altrusim. So whats going on? Mr Cat      

Rubbish in, Rubbish out![;-)] Mr Cat  

  Can't help with 2010 but 2015? http://www.cebr.com/Resources/CEBR/The%20UK%20drops%20out%20of%20the%20top%2010%20economies%207%20December%202009.pdf Mr Cat

With the long winter nights once more upon us I have started to cross stitch a few of my favourite Xmas designs, normally a few cute angels and santas etc.  I then did this one which I think is particularly cute, so if there are any other stitcher's out there, they may want to have a go!!  I do them on plastic canvas, back them with red felt & attach a gold thread so they can be hung on Christmas trees!! [IMG]http://i308.photobucket.com/albums/kk325/markatards/kit2.jpg[/IMG]

For once in my life I agree with Roy Keane. [:D]

So why have they said, since the takeover of Brawn, that they wanted an all German driver line-up?

[quote user="Frederick"]Its no good Henry saying the ball hit his arm you can clearly see he opened his fist and with the palm of his hand hit and changed the direction of the ball .. There is enough film of it to be seen . Whatever happens from now wherever the French team end up in this competition Henry his team mates and the whole of France will know it was by his dishonest act . It will take the shine off any victory they may achieve . Irish Justice minister is demanding the game be re played such is the disgust in Ireland[/quote]   Personally I think it will be forgotten about pretty quickly. These things usually are - by everyone except the people who have lost out. As for a re-match - do they also re-play every game where a goal was disallowed for being off-side, when it wasn't .... when a goal was scored, but a player was actually off-side ... when someone dived & was awarded a penalty ..... and on and on and on. Calling for a re-match is pointless & stupid – where would it end?!! Spotted this in the Belfast Telegraph ..... [Www] Croissant €2 French Beret €5 Bottle of French Red Wine €8 Watching Thierry Henry playing gaelic football, PRICELESS!!!!!!

Having not been on a plane for a couple of years I don't know what the restrictions on liquids (e.g. shampoo, shaving products etc.) in hand luggage are now?  If you can't carry these sort of products on-board & have to purchase them on arrival & dump them before flying back, surely that could cost more than booking a bag into the hold?! [8-)]

Hi Scooby. Fibromyalgia translates as muscle pain and ME/FMS used to be used synonymously until some medics decided to distinguish between those where pain was the primary symptom and those where other symptoms predominate. They then replaced ME with the meaningless CFS catch all. My own view is that ME and FMS are just slightly different manifestations of the same underlying pathology and the positive XMRV findings in both 'groups' supports this.  For example I have muscle and joint pains but they are not my most debilitating symptoms and don't require painkillers plus I don't have the 'classic' FMS tender points so I'm labelled with ME. Hopefully this represents a step towards a cure for these 'syndromes' regardless of the label. Mr Cat