ali-cat
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Posts posted by ali-cat
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Thanks Hoddy. I checked the images on Google and it looked similar although this one did not have the white chest - more a rusty brown. Could have been a bird of prey. We have plenty of kites and buse around but I'm not sure a bird of prey could reduce a pigeon to just feathers.
Fouines sound pretty fierce even killing cats?
Mr Cat
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I was out in our field yesterday, letting our kitten have a run around, when I was shocked to find what I thought was a dead cat lying on top of our compost heap. There are quite a few strays around and I thought one of them might have expired for some reason.
On closer inspection the animal was the size of a small or malnourished cat, looked a ruddy tabby colour and was not badly decayed so had not been there long. Something had also defecated on top of it but there were no obvious signs of injury! One thing that looked strange was that its ears were smaller and rounder.
I decided to give it a decent burial but when I started to lift it it was obvious when I saw its head that it was actually a stoat/weasel.
It could not have been the cold of a few weeks ago that killed it as it was not badly decayed. What else could have killed it - assuming it did not just decide to die of old age in that spot which is hundreds of metres away from any road (and where incidentally he had a snake during the summer which may still be there hibernating). A few weeks ago, a few feet away, I also found the 'remains' of a pigeon/dove. All that was left were the feathers and digestive tract.
Is there a killer on the loose?
Mr Cat
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[quote user="suein56"][quote user="Nell"]
I have just got this tax bill in the post. I looks like a one third part payment of this years tax bill based on last years figures with payment is due by the 16th February....
Has anyone else out there got this?
[/quote]
Yes, this is normal. The first year you pay your tax bill in one go but thereafter you pay in 3 payments - the first 2 (feb and may) based on last years tax bill, but the final bill - in september - based on the tax form you will complete this may. You can set up to pay by monthly payments.
Sue
[/quote]Just to clarify I think the 3 payments arrangement only kicks in the year after your first FULL year's tax return. We arrived here in mid 2006 and paid our taxes on the 5-6 months resident in France. Last year (for 2007) we were not offered the 3 stage payments and paid in full in September. The letter arrived this morning demanding the one third payment.
Can anyone confirm that it is a requirement to pay in installments? Sterling is bound to strengthen against the Euro by the autumn (fingers crossed!).
Mr Cat
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Being a comparatively young flippertygibbet, my first bike in 1979 was a Kawasaki KH125, followed by a Yamaha RD 250 with skimmed head and power pipes. Being my only source of transport these were ridden every day come rain, snow and near-death experiences.
Passed my car test and that became my main transport, but picked up a Honda 250 trail bike that had been used off road, as a 'fixer upper'. Numerous new parts, respray and stove enamelled frame later the XL250 was ready for reassembly - in my third floor attic bedroom in my parents house. Found out the hard way that its impossible to maneouver thirty plus stone of motorbike down three flights of narrow stairs.
Was very tempted by a Ducati 500 Pantah but that meant having to sit the test plus I didn't have access to a garage and said Pantah would have lasted one winter. Mature student poverty and subsequently marriage put an end to any further two wheeled dreams - and just as well given the projectiles that pass for bikes these days.
Mr Cat
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[quote user="tj"][quote user="ali-cat"]
[quote user="tj"]At least he's educated, unlike previous Presidents.
Although I fear he will have to do as he's told, no new broom here! Mind you he surely can't do any worse than GWB.
[/quote]So who was 'uneducated'?
[/quote]
Solely being in attendance at Harvard, Yale etc does not an educated man produce, university produces more of lifes failures than anything else, not forgetting these days many attend just to put off the inevitable move into the real world !
[/quote]I agree - but what point were you making originally? Perhaps the issue of verbal fluency, in which case should we ridicule the new president for having to retake the oath of office after understandably fluffing the first attempt? Can you point me to a source that strongly correlates verbal fluency with overall intelligence?
Mr Cat
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[quote user="tj"]At least he's educated, unlike previous Presidents.
Although I fear he will have to do as he's told, no new broom here! Mind you he surely can't do any worse than GWB.
[/quote]So who was 'uneducated'? Abraham Lincoln? (one year formal schooling), Harry Truman (high school) or FDR?
Can't be Dubya - he was smarter than JFK apparently although that's not saying much :
http://www.csbsju.edu/USPP/Election/bush011401.htm
Mr Cat[:P]
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HOPE
in Other Topics
I've never bought into this hype and it looks like I'm not the only one :
On the other hand his election is truly historic in modern times as it been revealed that he's a smoker. Wouldn't happen in the UK. America truly is the land of the free.
I wonder will he be allowed to smoke inside the Whitehouse as a special concession or will he have to nip off outside the grounds for a quick fag. Wouldn't be too clever if they needed the launch codes and Barack was off somewhere trying to bum a light![:D]
Mr Cat
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Interesting. If the smallest unit of time is the result of a single quantum event then you would expect space-time to be grainy at a microscopic level. But more importantly - what flavour of Pringle?[8-)]
Mr Cat
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Thanks Banana for the link to the Spectator website and this much more relevant article :
Mr Cat
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[quote user="Cat"]
As said before, if intelligent, reasonable people on the forum are unable to talk about the situation in Gaza without it turning into a bunfight, what hope is there for settling the conflict out in the real world?
If anyone would like to do something a little more constructive, there are two groups on Facebook that are campaigning...
[/quote]
So who do you vote for : Bianca Gaza; Gaza Baldwin ...?[8-)]
Mr Cat
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[quote user="pachapapa"][quote user="WJT"]
Post edited by a moderator. The post referred to by WJT can be found here TotalFranceForum
WJT, please check your PMs.
[/quote]
The added perspective given by using the active TF hyperlink serves only to vaunt the perverted opinions of a stateside neocon jew pasting selected excerpts from the Jerusalem Post and a well known Zionist Web Site, renowned for it's balanced views.[:D][:D][:D]
Indeed I prefer talking to my ragondins on the banks of the Thouet; far more objective.
[/quote]
Now thats name calling
Mr Cat
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[quote user="Bugbear"][quote user="WJT"]Some here have framed Israel from their own racial bias with no regard to what Israel has brought to the table in the form of concessions. [/quote]
And many have not. There is wrong on both sides and anyone who thinks that Israels current actions will bring peace to the region is living in cloud-cuckoo land.
[quote user="ali-cat"]Well said WJT. I suspect that the reason why many don't post viewpoints, at least sympathetic to Israel, if not neccessarily agreeing with all their actions, is that too many have pre-conceived positions and no amount of discussion will change that. Unfortunately a common 'liberal' failing is to let moral outrage blind you to the faults on both sides.
Gabrel's posts add some much needed perspective.
Mr Cat
[/quote]
So if someone has a different viewpoint to you they are in someway inferior, and worthy of 'name-calling', what twaddle.
.
[/quote]Ummm - name calling?
Mr Cat
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Well said WJT. I suspect that the reason why many don't post viewpoints, at least sympathetic to Israel, if not neccessarily agreeing with all their actions, is that too many have pre-conceived positions and no amount of discussion will change that. Unfortunately a common 'liberal' failing is to let moral outrage blind you to the faults on both sides.
Gabrel's posts add some much needed perspective.
Mr Cat
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[quote user="Ron Avery"]So you can get IB then without having paid a penny in NI or having done a day's work, not that of course applies to the OP but it does question Mr Cat's statements about entitlement based on payments.[/quote]
Well I stand corrected. It appears in some very limited circumstances, i.e. when due the claimant's age they haven't made sufficient NI contributions and would be ineligible for any other benefit such as JSA, the NICs requirement is waived. The Government's figures confirm the default requirement :
"Dr. Pugh: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people, broken down by gender, who have made applications for incapacity benefit in the last year have had their applications refused as a result of an incomplete contributions history. [15006]
Mrs. McGuire: Between March 2004 and February 2005 around 330,145 incapacity benefit claims were 'disallowed at outset', due to failing the contribution conditions. Information by gender is not available."
Mr Cat
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Here we go again.
Fundamental to the idea of the national insurance scheme we all contributed to is that there should be some form of safety net for those who become unemployed or who find themselves unable to work due to illness. Those deemed as currently incapable of working are unable to fulfil the requirements of Job Seekers Allowance hence the entitlement to Incapacity Benefit. I'm sure most would agree in principle that such a safety net is a good thing. I'm sure also most would also agree that there should be mechanisms to regularly review a persons capacity to work. These mechanisms are currently in place and apply to anyone in receipt of long-term IB whether UK resident or not.
Implicit in the determination that an individual is currently unable to work is the acceptance that they are not available to work and therefore not required to be available. Recent EU law has confirmed the right of freedom of movement for all citizens, including the inactive, and confirmed that certain health related benefits, plus child benefit, can be exported. Those in receipt of long-term incapacity benefit are considered by the UK government to be state pensioners and like those in receipt of the UK state retirement pension have their healthcare cover provided by the UK via the E121. Presumably because they are unable to contribute to the state healthcare system via work. Anyone moving to France and working is either covered by a workers E106 if paying UK taxes or will contribute to the French system. Those who moved to France as early retired contribute to the French system based on income and have chosen to do so, presumably with the full knowledge that this would be the case.
Should an individual in receipt of LTIB and living in France be judged (or declare themselves) to be fit to work in any capacity (as under the present system), they will lose the benefit and entitlement to the E121. The consequences of this may be severe if they are then unable to find or afford private health insurance but again most would agree that if the decision is correct then the entitlement should be removed. They would have to return to the UK if they wished to claim Job Seekers Allowance, or realistically speaking, find work.
That is the situation. It is entirely legitimate to receive IB while in France in the knowledge that it can easily be withdrawn. If a person, genuinely unable to work, decides, perhaps for health reasons, to move to France, its no-ones business but their own. In doing so they probably gave up other health related benefits that were not or are not exportable. Should they also be banned from public parks, cinemas or any other activities that the able bodied enjoy?
The OP certainly doesn't fall into the 'never worked a day in their life' category and when they refer to benefits thay have 'paid for' they are entirely correct that in better times they supported those needing a safety net. Such is the nature of the UK welfare state.
Finally, declaring people fit for work and slotting them into job vacancies sounds attractive. Unfortunately real life is a little more complicated. Not necessarily an unbiased source but an enlightening read : http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2008/oct/22/welfare-to-work-benefits
Mr Cat
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Thanks for this Jetlag. A rerun of winter 2006/07 was what concerned me. Thankfully I have a barn stuffed with polystyrene and bubblewrap.
BTW do you use a winter cover?
Mr Cat
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This year, as last year, I've used the active winterising method as we are here permanently and I never really got my head around the full passive winterising routine, not to mention locating all the bits and pieces.
We have a floating roller cover and the pump etc is housed in a below ground level pool room. Basically the water level stays the same; I maintain the usual chemical routine, open the pool for cleaning leaves every few weeks and have the filter running on and off throughout the coldest hours. We had absolutely no problems last year.
Yesterday we woke to find a layer of ice all around the edge of the pool, not thick, but it wouldn't have thawed during the day and would have continued to build up the following night. I managed to carefully defrost it and have run the pump constantly since which has kept it ice free. The water temperature is currently just over 6 degrees. I haven't added any antifreeze and thought this might be the solution but have read on other threads that it isn't recommended as it just adds to the chemical load. I also read that the ice is unlikely to damage the liner but I'm not convinced and also wonder what would happen if it spread into the skimmer boxes and pipes.
Anyone else use the active winterising method and have any suggestions?
Mr Cat
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[quote user="Cathy"]
BB. We have a Henri, a labradoodle. We rescued him a couple of months ago through this Forum. When we tell French people his name, they fall about laughing because the French don't seem to call their dogs "human names".
[/quote]
We were told the same thing before we moved over, but most French pet owner we have met, have given their cats & dogs "human names". It seems to becoming a lot more popular & accepted.
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This makes for an interesting browse :
http://www.propertysnake.co.uk/
A 16% drop looks modest in comparison.
Mr Cat
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What a lucky young man to have found you. They always seem to know exactly when to poke their heads up out of the grass to be spotted!! I would imagine he is feral – an injured feral cat/kitten will very soon adjust to being picked up & will immediately use a litter tray before peeing anywhere else – I don't know why, they just do.
When we found Ellie we bought cotton baby socks & put them on with sticky medical tape wrapped gently around the sock to keep it on, to protect her badly damaged paw. It provided her with a little extra protection whilst letting the wound breath. Dabbing the paw with iodine is also very good for helping heal wounds & will do no damage to your kitty should he lick it (according to our vet).
I do hope your hubby didn't give you a hard time when you arrived home with the little bundle!! [:)]
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[quote user="Russethouse"]
Ah yes Mr Cat, better to be in government without principals than out of government with some [:)]
[/quote]
I'd certainly agree that there is a marked lack of principals in politics these days and not just in the UK. More like a version of 'strictly celebrity fame academy I've got talent innit'.
But there's a fine line between principals, doctrine and dogma.
Old labour's problem was that they were wedded to tired working class dogma which was inappropriate to the changed labour market and increasingly irrelevant to a population that no longer indentified with class tags. As a result they were unelectable. Politics being the art of the possible they adopted, although I would argue never fully understood, free market policies.
Mr Cat
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[quote user="Âme"]
Blue badge fee 'set to increase' (link to BBC news)
This story in today's news made me wonder, what are the options for expats when their blue badge expires?
Can it be renewed with an overseas address or is it necessary to re-apply in France? Does anyone have experience of doing this?
[/quote]
There is absolutely no problem in applying for a French Blue Badge. Firstly go to your Mairie & ask for a form for a “Carte de Stationnement” pour personnes handicapées. Fill in your details & then your doctor will complete the rest. My card took about 10 months to arrive & from what I have gathered this was very quick – so I would advise anyone to apply for a new one if they are within a year of their GB card expiring. If you have any problems with the form or any queries, please PM or email me & I'll do all I can to help. [:)]
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Or avoid the hangover and try grape seed extract :
http://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/grape-seed-000254.htm
Mr Cat
SKY Dropout
in French Satellite TV, French Internet and Telephone
Posted
Hi All
After weathering monday night's tempete with little damage, we found yesterday morning that we had lost our Sky signal.
Or more accurately the dish signal is received by the unit in the kitchen, feeds a TV there by scart socket and the signal is then transmitted to the TV in the salon. The TV in the kitchen is receiving Sky perfectly well but the one in the salon with the wireless feed isn't. We have checked and double checked all connections etc.
Is there any possibility that the dish might have been knocked slightly out of alignment, reducing the signal strength to the extent that it can be transmitted by cable but not wirelessly?
Not the end of the world yet, but with Ali Cat's footie on tonight it could end up that way!
Any thoughts?
Mr Cat