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tegwini

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Posts posted by tegwini

    Times Higher Education-QS World University Rankings

    in French Education

    Posted

    Howzit John

    Strange, but understandable that Germany had a large number of Nobel prize winners before WWII when many talented Jewish scientists etc left for the USA.  Some from France too.

    Similar diaspora of talents from SAfrica.  My old alma mater (Witwatersrand University) has had 4 Nobel laureates, including chemistry and medicine, but it is doubtful there will be many in the future.

    I don't get the impression that French education, or science has much to learn from, for example, the UK and I am equally cynical about  these statistics.

    Regards

    Tegwini 

     

    idioms

    in French Language

    Posted

    Clever Cat for finding it!

    Sounds appropriate to me, memory a bit 'iffy'*  these days, and dredging into the murky recesses of the brain for something almost seen sounds about right for me.  Sad if the Telegraph got it wrong too.

     But I bow to Clair's superior knowledge & would not risk using it and sounding  like a Wolly!

    Regards

    Tegwini

    * typical Wiltshire/SW  expression!!

     

     

    Some interesting reading about Gordy and his mendacious lot

    in Other Topics

    Posted

    "Don't forget either that most of the apparent decline and greed stems from the Thatcher era."  -Will

    I really don't agree with you here Will.   Greed has always been around us - perhaps there's lots more in the City - maybe, but that has perhaps always been there.   And still is.  Government mismanagement allows it even under Labour- eg Pensions not ringfenced etc

    But, the decline was before Margaret Thatcher -  under Labour  eg   4 day week, cap in hand to the IMF for loans - and told off by the IMF too for financial mismanagement of the country,   and so on ...   I remember all this.    All before Thatcher.

    She had to sort out a right mess- and this will have to happen yet again.

    Regards

    Tegwini

     

    Some interesting reading about Gordy and his mendacious lot

    in Other Topics

    Posted

    Ernie

    How do you find these things ??

    But, I can't argue with most of it - good for a laugh, especially if you aren't having to fund this lot by paying UK tax.  But the present lot are worse, much worse and have caused the problems we have at present.

    And I agree with you that it takes aim at lots of the snouts in the troughs- even 'Dave' is mentioned. 

    Sadly, politics seems to be somewhere to 'work' to make money easily with little risk.  Few of them have worked in the 'real' world, very few have any useful professional qualifications eg not many accountants even on  finance committees (few in parliament), and of course loads of Scots voting on English laws.     I read somewhere that Gordon supported some other team (Argentina ??)  vs England  !  Halifax staff have been enraged that the government is more concerned with job losses in Scotland rather than Yorkshire.

    Dick - not sure why you dislike this so much- don't you think that politicians need to be tensioned up?   And, Gordon has presided over the mania for credit in the UK over the last decade and done nothing to stop this mania.  Unfortunately we are  dependent on  financial services. And now the   cr *p   is hitting the fan because of this.    Sadly not much manufacturing in the UK - not encouraged by Gordon, and now it will contribute towards the UK's relative decline in Europe. 

    Not difficult to have seen this coming.   My OH has been muttering about the poor financial controls, direction etc  we've had for the last ten years.

    Regards

    Tegwini 

     

     

    Teaching in France or commuting

    in French Education

    Posted

    Deb

    I have a friend in rural Wilts. who could not get a job in Normandy - she is French and trained there (at Rouen university I think), and could not get a job at all. It seems that they make the Capes quite difficult to get through and this friend claims that the exam  varies according to the need for teachers, and few are needed at present.She wanted to teach English in France and had to do some strange tasks for the Capes eg Cybeline by Shakespeare (usually considered a bit obscure by most students) so is reasonably fluent in English.

    She has fallen for a local Wiltshire boy and wants to stay here now, and has just the PGCE at Southampton university and can't get a job here either !  It is a fallacy that there is a shortage of teachers - not here anyway.

    I doubt that the French would accept a TEFL cert - I see you can do one of these in a weekend or so. Even the Celta qualification only takes a month and does not even require a degree.

    Good luck anyway.

    Tegwini

    Responding to specific questions

    in Other Topics

    Posted

    Wooley

    Many, many thanks for your reply - I suppose I do confuse easily,  but to me a mossie is a South African sparrow(see pic) - AND this is not a spelling thread as I am sure that WB has no problems with spelling as he is such a clever furry fruit.

    But nasty little stinging b***ers should be done away with, know them well & the African variety really are the pits - I come up with giant bumps if they find their way into my bedroom!

    Regards, and almost forgot, thank you - this is the most polite thread ever ! 

    Tegwini (hope pic is OK never managed one before!)

    Did you have a lot of ants move in this summer

    in The Lighter Side

    Posted

    Thanks Trizzy

    Sounds familiar to those of us still living & paying tax in the UK.

    Although it  is Sunday am  husband is up & doing his extra income work - doing company tax/ accounts & occasionally the tax for individuals. 

    The individual he's doing am today (and unlike many we're not in bed!) gets more from the state in work & child tax credits than many are paid after working a full week and after deductions. And it's clear this individual carefully keeps  working hours as low as possible to get the maximum benefits.   Plus, quite a bit in the bank.                                                                                                                      Somehow also has the funds to pay an accountant to do the tax too. 

    And, this is not an anecdote, the evidence is all around him. 

    Regards

    Tegwini

     

     

    EDF buys British Energy

    in Other Topics

    Posted

    I don't know about the  useless UK government being 'crafty' or even businesslike in their dealings - far from it.  Selling our gold reserves at the bottom of the market is one example, plus many many others.

    The problem is that they are nearly all career politicians.   Very few have ever worked in the real world , or managed a business where normal business controls and constraints could mean bankruptcy and penuary.  

     My government, (and I did not vote for them - ever!)  if it has a shortfall, for example for their fat-cat pensions, will just increase the tax on something.   No such thing as market forces for them.

    But, I welcome nuclear power to produce electricity.  And,  I said this decades ago when I heard of the tonnes of coal dust in the air churned out by the UK power stations using coal.    I think the French would be best to get it going in the UK.

    Tegwini

     

    Some really good News

    in Other Topics

    Posted

    I thought I'd revive this thread as OH has kept his nose clean ( was it  for 4 years?) and got the  3 points  removed from his driving licence -  he now has now a  sparkling, spotless, whiter than white, spiffling, wonderfully CLEAN licence.  It arrived the other day.

    So I can now also be a little sniffy about speeding!

    Also the initial 'good news' is perhaps not so good,  as he has perhaps changed his mind about retiring ...

    Tegwini

    Forum Member cooperlola

    in Other Topics

    Posted

    Ian/Coops2

    All wish Debs well- Not everyone has commented, but all hope for a speedy recovery, and have enjoyed her posts in the past.   A vitual friendship can still be a friendship of sorts and it helps to know and understand people a bit better.

    I expect that everyone is quite convinced that Debs is so very lucky that she has a wonderful OH like you at times like this.

    Regards

    Tegwini

    Nail clippers

    in Pets

    Posted

    Yes Graye,

    It probably was.   Ours  really only needed nail clipping when old & wonky, (and as small puppies) but still a bit giddy, they weren't out and running around as much as when younger.  One lived to 14 before cancer set in. 

    They didn't mind their nails being clipped, but would have been very unlikely to sit still long enough even when old to have them filed by a little machine.    They liked to chew up stuff like that - even when old.   Sounds like an American invention, like designer clothing for dogs. Such stuff on a boxer would have survived for minutes. 

    Still missing them ten years later. 

    Regards

    Tegwini

     

    Nail clippers

    in Pets

    Posted

    We bought some a while back, over 15 years ago - in the UK, probably from a pet shop in Oxon/Wilts.   They worked really well on two giddy boxers, who are now in Boxer Heaven.

    Can't help with the make as I loaned them out and never saw them again!  

    They are still be available - some here from £2.59 and also still in pet shops I presume.

    http://www.zooplus.co.uk/shop/dogs/dog_grooming_care/nail_paw?gclid=CL-fz5X26ZUCFRSO1Qod0khFfA

    Regards

    Tegwini

    new TV advert

    in Other Topics

    Posted

    Krusty

    Many thanks, really clever advert.  I shall probably use it in my teaching.   Thought the soldiers marching off was quite sad.   Lost a granddad in WWI.

    Strangely, I haven't seen it yet on TV.

    Regards

    Tegwini

    He really can't survive much longer..............

    in Other Topics

    Posted

    Hi all

    I can just cope with him as PM,  Tony not that much better or different.  It's what he did as chancellor (allowed, permitted ... by Tony?) that has caused the UK's problems - and he messed up over 10 years.   Some seem to have forgotten that.    Whoever was PM they would still have Gordon's mess-ups to sort out.

    Dave, also a muppet in my opinion, will struggle for years to solve the UK's economic & social problems too.   And,  I certainly never voted for Tony!

    Regards

    Tegwini

    I don't suppose we'll ever strike the right balance with racism?

    in Other Topics

    Posted

    from the Timesonline comments ...

    Hurrah for the boys in blue! This year I've had a burglary, a car stolen and my wife had a bottle thrown at her by a junkie. Police action? You're kidding. Culprits apprehended? You're 'aving a giraffe mate. So apart from falling out and persecuting motorists, what are the police actually for?

    Bob, Liverpool, England

     

    I had a little chuckle over this comment,   much needed, as it's raining here in Wilts - again,  for a change ...

    Tegwini

     

     

    A challenge

    in Other Topics

    Posted

    I didn't think you could do that.  They have the booked numbers on a hanging thing on your windscreen.    We have paid extra when our daughter unexpectedly came with us recently.   Did they alter the numbers written down?

    Or - am I missing something ?

    Regards

    Tegwini

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