mint

Nothing really startling as most of it has been endlessly speculated on in the press and on tv. What was unexpected was the rallying cry (not much disguised) for next year's election.  Unexpected in the sense that we all thought it would be about the pandemic and measures to tackle it but the political stuff took roughly half of his tv address.

But, as you have said, Norman, there IS at least one[:P] You see, I live amongst polite, friendly people[:D]

Thank you.  Now that the warmer weather's here, I can't seem to take more than 10 steps outside the gate without bumping into people, mostly neighbours. Will read your link; it seems to be full of interesting information.

Yes, exactly....I am thinking of Wednesday[:)] Do you say Bonne Fete Nationale, bon quatorze juillet, WHAT? Would be useful to know!!

YES, I watched that....gave me goose bumps.. I thought the violinist was fantastic.  Did you see her bowing technique?  Unbelievably difficult and she did it so gracefully and apparently effortlessly.

Vaccines, yes, bravo, UK! BUT what about the 4 million+ waiting list that was building up over the last several months because the UK government concentrated all resouces (especially those of the NHS) on the vaccination programme so as to be able to say that the UK has a "world-beating" vaccination programme? You'd think that people didn't die from untreated cancers, strokes, etc and didn't suffer with unreplaced hips and other painful conditions.  If the vaccination programme was a triumph, I'd be inclined to say that it was perhaps a pyrrhic victory.  Time will tell......

[quote user="NickP"]Mint I can't believe you never heard of it, but of course, I suppose it depends on where you lived as a child. So on the morning before 12 miday on the 1st, the idea was to catch other kids out by saying and doing pinch and a punch, first day of the month. and no returns. if you didn't say no returns, they could say and do a pinch and a kick for being so quick. As said you could protect yourself by saying "White Rabbits" Just a tradition that we, approaching a combined age of 155 years of age, still practice. Some kids never grow up thankfully.[/quote] Ah yes, thank you, Nick.  I remember reading one of those detective stories where the murderer was a bit of a Peter Pan and the phrase was one he used and I think, they tracked him down once they "twigged". At least I think it was the murderer and it was a book of Ruth Rendell's, I believe.  The memory, such as what remains, is deffo not up to keeping up[:(]

NickP, please explain what this is about?  I have, alas, never heard of this practice and would love to know more[:)]

Not with wine, but I have seen it with "artisanal" cider in both Normandy and Brittany.  They bring the bottle and leave it on your table and, as far as I know, only charge you for a glass if that's all you have asked for. Mind you, that's not recent, well over 10 years ago, and only in small family-owned and -run bars and restos where we had been more than at least once[:)]

So there is only one single person on the whole Forum who "has no love for the EU", Ken?  I find that rather strange as I am certain I have heard others assert how vindictive, childish, useless, ineffective, stupid, (any number of taunts) the EU have shown themselves to be. NOT that I mind if others do not wish to nail their colours to the mast.  I was only interested in why people choose to live here if there is not much they admire or even like about the country.  Mere idle curiosity, if you prefer .... Antonia, I find your answer most interesting and I shall examine the contents further[:)]

May I ask an innocent question?  No agenda, no axe to grind, no preconceived notions, no wish to start arguments, not the slightest desire to troll, but simple curiosity.... Why do some people who have no love for the EU and have nothing but derogatory things to say about it, nonetheless OPT voluntarily to live in a country within the EU?

Talking about cartoons, I saw one I enjoyed recently but I don't think it was in the Guardian. There was depicted a wedding (with reference to the covid rules surrounding weddings, I think, or maybe a bit of a nod to Boris's most recent wedding) where the happy bride and groom were surrounded by assorted guests.  There was a big arc drawn through the air and the caption was "I don't know about your bouquet but the bridesmaid caught the hand sanitiser!"

I so agree, they ALL do it [6] However, if something really grabs me, I then go away and find a full performance elsewhere though that isn't always possible. It seems to me that everything is shortened, neatened, cleaned out, trussed up and only then presented.  I have spent the last week listening to Cardiff Singer of the World and there were some real gems and I couldn't begin to pick the winner.  But again, they pick bits and pieces, and only broadcast on a Welsh channel. To the starving, I suppose even crumbs are welcome.

Lehaut, yes it was only yesterday that I thought damn it's all down hill from here. But then I read the poem Norman has posted and it's a brilliant poem and speaks to me vividly and makes me feel well not wonderful but not too bad[:D] Yippeeeee.........!!!

No, ALBF, it's you who has gone mad, lost your marbles, are deliberately obtuse, whatever.... The British can't vote in France.  Those people voting in France are French by birth or by acquired citizenship. 

More Martha Argerich?  An interesting docu.. [url]https://www.arte.tv/fr/videos/092165-000-A/martha-argerich-a-varsovie-1965/[/url]

I hope they are grateful that you turned out to vote, Norman[:)]  It's appalling that the turn-out could be as low as 30 something %[:(] But why is the interest so very low?  Anyone has any ideas?

[quote user="Loiseau"].....and - before even leaving France - book (and pay for), a package of two PCR tests per person, to be taken on days 2 and 8 of your compulsory 10-day quarantine in the U.K. And then organise a further antigen or PCR test per person before you head back to France. Better start saving, cos that’s expensive for a family. Why not spend your hols in th3 Dordogne, cos you’re always saying it’s just like being in England! ?[/quote] Oh Loiseau, that is the most funny and apt reply I have read for a long time[:D]  Can't stop laughing my head off......[:D]

Now you are being ridiculous, ALBF!  Nowhere exciting to go in France? I hadn't realised but only yesterday, I learned that France was the most visited country in the world and Paris the most visited city. Of course, we all know your opinion of Paris, you've voiced it often enough.  But are you really saying that in ALL of France, there is not a single place that would be interesting and fun to visit? But, of course, you will say that your opinion is "right" and that millions of tourists from all over the world are wrong[:P] PS Me, I'm off walking in the Haute Pyrenées next week and I expect to have a wonderful time full of interest and new experiences.

Yes, thank you, Weegie, send us some more; I really enjoyed last night's storm.  Could really do with a thorough soaking as the heat and still atmosphere was stifling and really horrible. Fresher today but can't say it feels cooler.  Instead, it's very humid and tiring but hope for more rain tonight as I love nothing more than to lie in bed and listen to the rain beating on the roof and the water gurgling in the gutters.

YES!  Spectacular.....I love storms, the thunder, the lightening, the rain, the wind....stupid, I know as storms can be dangerous. But I can never resist an urge to admire them.

[quote user="Mr Huge"]Norman, GB News is a new channel whose purpose is to promote British values and culture, which is why it is funded by two rich American right-wingers and is anchored by Andrew Neil, who lives in France. They believe that traditional British news outlets are too left-wing, which of course is true, as everyone knows that the Sun, Mail, Telegraph, Times and Express are all owned by sworn Marxists whose aim is to destroy free-market capitalism. They aim to give a voice to those whose views are hardly ever represented in the UK media, like poor old Nigel Farage. Now you know all you need to know, Norman. (Did I see you in the antiques market in Beziers last Tuesday, buying a piece of Sèvres porcelain?)[/quote] Excellent, Mr Huge, now I "get the picture".....whatever next?

[quote user="anotherbanana"]imminent?[/quote] Yes, Wools, I like imminent as that most closely means incessament.  The French have imminent too, of course but I agree that your word is a good synonym.

Norman, watching French and UK news is not a mutually exclusive activity, you know.  I constantly switch between the two.  For those of us with TV receivers (dig, dig), it's literally a matter of pressing a button. Back to GB news, I think it's obviously run on a shoe-string at the moment.  There was a woman rabbiting on about the Euro football and the incident of don't-know-his name having a heart attack on the pitch.  There were no pictures at all to illustrate what she was talking about and she herself was rattling on at such a rate that I couldn't understand any of what she said. And to think that in the old days, we criticised television for only hightlighting stories for which they had pictures!  What is this limited medium television, we asked, they don't give the news on any incident however important simply on the basis of having no pictures to show! My conclusion?  Yes, things do go round and round in circles.  GB News could equally be a radio show as they don't seem to have rights to pictures on the news they are TALKING about[:)]

First impressions? Being a bit of a media junkie, I watched 2 or 3 times, making a total of maybe half an hour.  Just needed to look at their content, production values, presentation, perceived bias, the usual. More than a little underwhelmed and would be interested to know others' opinions.  Apparently many multinational companies are pulling their advertising.  Must admit, one of my first thoughts was, how long is this going to last and how deep are the owners' pockets?