Scooby

For the record, my dearest Bue, I am neither mad nor old - in fact, it will be a few decades before I reach state retirement age, sweetie pie...[;-)]

[quote user="buelligan"]I agree Dog, utterly horrible.  IMHO, though I don't think we can conveniently abandon the guilt for this sort of thing at the feet of some faceless bunch of hoodies.  This goes a lot deeper than that - we just don't want to look it in the eye.  We (humans) have created societies all over Britain (and in other parts of the world), were a normal old fellow can starve himself to death and no-one, not the neighbours, not the council, not the social services, not the police, not anyone does anything until the poor old chap is finished.  That speaks volumes about the way we care for one another, what we see our responsibility as, where our remit ends, whether we can be arsed.  The onus is on all members of a society to care and to be responsible for one another.  Don't be "Disgusted of Tunbridge Wells", be active, be compassionate, make the change! As I may have mentioned on another thread recently; All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing. [/quote] they just swan off to France...

Aside from poverty and disease, 'God' is one of the best means of population control.

[quote user="Richard"]Don't think so. Keeping in context, JC himself said there is only one way to god and that is through him. Assuming Christianity is the one true religion, then all other religions are false. It's logical. I'm not saying I believe it, I am just pointing out what the bible says. [/quote] You seem to forget that it is not the Christians but the Jews that are the chosen people - even in the New Testament.  (Unfortunately I had the Bible stuffed down my throat from an early age until I was old enought to decline (18 according to my parents).  By the age of 7, I could recite all the books of the Bible in order in less than 60 seconds.  So, although I know the biblical teachings inside out and back to front, I personally don't subscribe to any of the rubbish.  The books of the bible is still a good party piece though.   IMHO organised religion is just a means of securing power, exhorting money and intimidating the general populous into subscribing to some sort of moral code.   So excuse me if I don't respond to any more comments on the subject!)

A little bit of license being applied there methinks Richard!

[quote user="Richard"] But on the other hand, if you look at the bible and what JC said, this was prophesised anyway. Inspired prophesy, or did he know that his teachings would one day become outdated? Who knows? [/quote] Not sure where you got that from Richard.

I can't speak for myself on the UK v France divide as we don't live in France full-time and whilst we say we are 'going home' meaning going back to our French house while we are in France, it is only in the way you would say going home - meaning returning to the hotel, apartment, base etc when you are on holiday.  Strangely though, our neighbours always say to us 'welcome home' when we arrive in France. From the experience of friends of ours who emigrated to Canada nearly thirty years ago, Canada only became home for both of them (as in the place that had more ties than any other) when their children married Canadians and the grandchildren arrived.  Until that point they returned to the UK every year and intermittently talked about being 'homesick' and returning to the UK permanently. 

Well it's that time again - anyone with the kettle on?

He requested discharge on the grounds of the bullying.  The deployment to Iraq came through after his discharge was refused.  Bullying is, absolutely, something they should have dealt with.

Particularly distressing is the 13 year who was raped..and then stoned to death for adultery...

I'm guessing that everyone has a snapping point Dog.  We are all capable of murder - it just takes different things to push us to that point.

It seems that the perpetrator had been systematically bullied by colleagues because of his ethnicity and religion and had been asking, for sometime, for a discharge from the army.  His request had been refused and instead he was being deployed to Iraq - alongside his bullies.

Me neither Rose.

Katie Price (aka Jordan) has 'written' a children's book - well not written exactly.  Someone else wrote the book, but they thought it would sell more copies if Jordan was shown as the author.  The book has been shortlisted for WH Smith's Children's Book of the Year.  It didn't win - but if it had,Katie would have collected the prize as it's 'author'. http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/books/article3599732.ece This seems bizarre in the extreme.  Should ghost writers be disclosed?  What has happened to the arts? Is this the equivalent of the X factor for literature...

BIG MAC - loved your description of home.

[quote user="buelligan"]My intention was, I suppose, to nudge you into considering that you might be operating double standards.[/quote] Which I am not.

As a second home owner I have no influence on the way France is run.  Nevertheless, I am entitled to express an opinion on a forum - particularly when opinions have been openly solicited.  My comment about the relevance of my views was in response to your inference that I was an immigrant trying to subvert the french way of life.

I believe the question of Sunday opening is not one that has been imposed on France by its immigrant population but rather one that has been  raised by France's own President.  In any case, my views on this particular debate are irrelevant as I am not an immigrant.

I remember two french students at university always used to switch to french when they were talking (usually bitching!) about someone nearby.  As a consequence I have always felt it was rude to speak in a language that people within earshot cannot understand.  (However, I was also taught to speak in a moderate tone...and not to eavesdrop on other people's conversations.)

[quote user="redkite"]Hold it there Richard. I've had French bacon and it's rubbish - usually thin, round and salty and as far their sausages go they put more crap in them than the Brits do - the contents of which is known in the trade as slurry, hosed down from the animals carcass.... which is why I always get my bacon from our local UK butcher.[/quote] Agreed Redkite - my first thought was that Richard could never have eaten a decent English breakfast to even think of making such a comment!!

[quote user="buelligan"]Scooby wrote; [quote]Having been on this forum for a number of years now (not just as Scooby) I think much of the above comments (and many threads a similar vein before them) come from this feeling that the ultimate accolade is to become as 'French' as possible.  The reality is that we will never be French.  Bad mouthing the UK, denying your roots is just part of that fallacy.  [/quote] Odd isn't it?  If one emigrates to France it is somehow "wrong" to identify with "frenchness" or to seek to be accepted as French.  If one emigrates to Britain (or England), it is an absolute prerequisite that one denies ones former culture and attempts in every way possible to become "English"..?[:D] [/quote] It's perfectly consistent Buelligan.  It is not that the migrant should become 'English' rather that they should not impose their culture, language and values upon their adopted country. 

[quote user="sweet 17"]How sad for you.  I, personally, would never live where I don't feel quite at home.[/quote] I'm guessing that you don't feel at home in the Charente, Sweet - given your polling of everyone on where else to move to! Having been on this forum for a number of years now (not just as Scooby) I think much of the above comments (and many threads a similar vein before them) come from this feeling that the ultimate accolade is to become as 'French' as possible.  The reality is that we will never be French.  Bad mouthing the UK, denying your roots is just part of that fallacy. 

It is also slightly concerning that, on balance, the more educated families have less children.  So as a consequence the next generations are going to be dominated by religious fundamentalists and watchers of the X factor...scary thought.

Quillan / Velcorin - just buy them the ticket home.  You can recharge it to their GP father once they have arrived - then you can re-use the funds to send back some more kids.

Has it kicked in yet??