oglefakes

Could everyone please stay on topic!! Ford, did you really need all those periods? I mean, bad use of dots is unacceptable. [:D]

[quote user="Nearly Retired"]I wrote: "When people stop me in the street and ask my opinions on something, I suspect something fishy and then walk on with my mouth shut!" Oh dear! I didn't want to upset anyone. That's the problem with non-verbal non-visual communication. The complainants didn't see my grin, raised eyebrow etc. Maybe it's time for an old duffer to learn these emoticon thingies. It was lighthearted comment which I thought might lead someone from admin letting us know why they were asking. Surely not an unreasonable thing.     [/quote] Aaaahh, I see. Your previous comment sounded very "Ba Humbug", but you've now redeemed yourself [:)][:D][:P][8-|][B][:-))][8-)][;-)][blink]

[quote user="Nearly Retired"]When people stop me in the street and ask my opinions on something, I suspect something fishy and then walk on with my mouth shut![/quote] What?

I don't know about a man, but I thought you were an American. [:D]

Tresco, even if I had thought you a bloke, and I was a bird, I'd still stop short of flirting with the owner of such a fluffy blue bunny [:D]

Well I may be wrong, but I have a hunch that TDK might be available, um, lots of places.

My TDK DVD-R disks from Costco work a treat in both my PC, DVD & DivX player

Aye, sadly agents have been known to be overly optomistic at best and porky tellers at worst. [:(] I would noise up the agent, as either he lied, or took a "she'll be right" type attitude and a risk with your money. While, if nothing is in writing, its worth the paper it's written on, you don't have much to loose from pestering him and pointing out your expense due to his cavalier attitude and ask HIM how HE is going to help you. Failing that, you should speak to a lawyer. Good luck

Hey Apkaplan, A really boring answer this is (God, I sound like Yoda) but the French Embassy/Consulate websites have loads of info on what is required. Also, as far as learning, my kids have been using the "Jump Ahead" French CD for kids, but I think it isn't available anymore (Spanish is, fummily enough) and it is great. Its virtually all games and our kids ( 8 & 10) pick it up so quickly.  You might get it online somewhere under the brand 'Smart Start' or 'Jump Ahead' I think they are the names it is sold under in US/UK. This may make life easier for your daughter in a fun way. All the best.

I can't believe that people don't like Gordon Brown! After all the man oozes pure, um, ooze.

Keep in mind that it's in the Daily Mail, so it's probably wrong.

You might have a point their Pat.

[quote user="Tresco"]So you sit on you mates sofas naked? [:D] [/quote] But the pharting noise is embarassing when you move sideways. Apparently.

This actually gets worse, as the MASSIVE increase in people travelling globally is helping to spread bed bugs, of all things. They like to get inside luggage in hotels and then you bring them home, dump your dirty washing on the floor and Bob's your uncle.

B.N. this is like my last experience in the UK; fully renovated building, modern decorations, dentist etc, great doctors, but the swarm of receptionists were the most rude shower of  bas&#@ds I have ever met.

[quote user="RumziGal"][quote user="Dick Smith"]The churchmen seem to have had a sense of humour bypass. [/quote] The churchmen have won.  http://www.guardian.co.uk/usa/story/0,,2047001,00.html [/quote] Keep in mind that in the US, you often only need a very small number of complaints to have something cancelled. I have read about seven or eight complaints cancelling a whole advertising campaign. A few years back 'David (I'm not a lizard) Icke' had to cancel his US tour when his venues  dropped him after the 'Anti Defamation League' said his claims that we are ruled by lizards "British author exposes the reptilian bloodline that rules the world. Learn the truth about many people, including the British Royals, Brian Mulroney, ..." along with most world leaders was an anti Semitic slur. This claim is as insane as Mr. Icke's theories (apart from Dick Cheney?) Now despite the fact that ADL were the only group to complain, the sponsors panicked and pulled the pin, probably becaue ADL - a 501(c)3 non taxed charity have assets exceeding $70,000,000 and love to go to court. I have arguments about the ADL frequently with my Jewish mate Eric, because they were childish to do this as they ignored the fact that only a small percentage of the people on his list were Jewish. Still, sponsors in the US panic at the slightest thing.

Tony, a friend of ours is in the same boat. She is married for the second time, making her 'Mrs Brown' but as she is a Phd, is published and has Patents to her name, she continues to use her previous husbands name for all business/academic work. Her second husband is cool with this and as she says, having a name like vitka***** is easier to find in google than Brown.

[quote user="Mistral"] The thing is that in France, the name on your birth certificate is your name and it doesn't change (without a decision from the procureur I think) you are allowed to have a "nom d'usage" which can be almost anything, but you still have your birth name for anything official.    [/quote] Excellent!  I will be able to reinvent myself. And to think I was about to join the legion [:D] EDIT:  That  remindes me, a Greek-Cypriot friend explained their traditional naming system - which I bet I get wrong - that involves naming the 1st born son's first name after his paternal grandfather, and his surname is his own father's first name. The second born son gets the first name of his maternal grandfather etc.  What makes it more confusing is that the Greek Orthodox church will only christen kids with traditional names (Andrew, Peter, George,  etc) If anyone wants a name like 'Moonbeam', 'Kestrel' or just to be whacky....'Apple', then they make that the official middle name. So you would have a family unit of say mum, dad, two sons and a daughter, all with different surnames. I think this was dropped overseas with mass emigration after the war as the Canadian, US, Australian, UK, etc systems thought they were making it up for a laugh [:)] My pal's name is Haralambous Haralambous , but to avoid confusion, he gets called Bambos Haralambous [:D] Nice guy, but the image of Dick in that old pic, but without the smile. He often has trouble getting on planes.

[quote user="Prasutagus"]A top, and very well known gynaecologist that I know, declined to use her married name as that would have made her Dr Overy...[/quote] But surely no one would have made the connection, as the other version of the word is spelled with an 'a'  [:D]

[quote user="Will"]I must say that I have noticed little or no difference in the attitude of receptionists and the ambience of waiting areas between the British public and private sectors or the French system. Although receptionists and appointment systems are often regarded as an unnecessary luxury by French GPs. All waiting rooms seem to share the same uncomfortable chairs, out of date copies of the sort of magazine you would never buy yourself, and the resident looney who harangues the staff and other patients. [/quote] Will, we are having a good time taking the pi ss out of the NHS, so don't bring in facts or realities to ruin it [:D] I must say that my mum manages to private (different system to the NHS) GP's surgery which is quite busy - they see about 1400 - 1500 patients a week with four receptionists- and everytime I go in there, which is only about once every two or three years, so most the staff don't know me, but they are always very polite. The reason? the old girl sacks them if they treat the patients badly. Thats the way the (partner) doctors want it. To be fair, she sacked an (employee) doctor once for the same reason after a patients parents complained. He told a teenage girl she had cancer and she would probably die. More or less in those words and no compassion. When he was asked why, he said "I'm not a social worker" or some such. As he was in his 60's the couldn't see it as inexperience etc. Oh, they also have new magazines every month. About 30 of them as one of the staff has a fuel card (and a new car every 24 months) as part of a  divorce settlement and she buys tons of stuff at the garage in addition to fuel, including all the magazines she donates to the practice. BTW I don't usually entertain vindictiveness, but it involved him having TWO families on the go at the same time [blink] and a huge salary and extensive travel which is how he managed to get away with it for about four years. I digress.

Did it say what percentage of NHS employed receptionists would pay to to avoid sitting in their own waiting rooms?

So, in general - like the UK and many other places - some women retain the use of their maiden name for professional or other personal  preference reasons, but however, do usually change back after a divorce. I was completely unaware that the latter was the norm. Interesting.

Reminds me of the zip-it drain probe I bought last week. Nice Picture Nasty Picture

[quote user="RumziGal"]Un gros pain? [/quote] Yes, on various levels I think  [:D] I'm glad she was naive about it, as if she had asked for an explanation, I would have had to explain that they were detachable and mine was in the attic.[:)]