Clair
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Posts posted by Clair
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I am left with the distinct impression from that the Charlie Hebdo cartoons are taken at face value and stamped as 'offensive for the sake of being offensive.'This simplistic judgement seriously underestimates Charlie Hebdo's essential value in French society.There are puns, in-jokes, irreverent and disrespectful pokes at all extremes of behaviour, personalities, be they Johnny Halliday, political or religious leaders.I understand that these are difficult to "get" unless you follow the mag regularly, but when you think about it, isn't it the same when you get to read a copy of Private Eye?Quillan, you admit that you had not heard of Charlie Hebdo before yesterday. Please, please, read this article to get a hint of what Charlie Hebdo really represents:http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/france/11332195/Charlie-Hebdo-attack-an-assault-on-Frances-truest-expression-of-freedom.htmlWith regards to "going around causing great offence to those of any religion", I'll simply quote Nick Clegg's excellent comment:[quote]... at the end of the day in a free society people have to be free to offend each other. You cannot have freedom unless people are free to offend each other. We have no right not to be offended. That fundamental principle of being free to offend people - and not saying somehow that you have a right not be offended in a democratic, open society such as ours is exactly what was under threat by these murderous barbarians. To even suggest, [...] that there is a rationale, an explanation, a motive that somehow absolves them or sheds greater light on such a horrific, cold hearted, cowardly act, I find outrageous.[/quote]I couldn't agree more.
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I have tried several times to post on this thread, but I just cannot find the right words to express how angry I am.I am also appalled and dismayed by some of the comments here.That's all I can say right now.
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[quote user="Mrs Trellis"]Had a call yesterday about a survey. I asked what organisation and it's AGC, possibly AJC. [/quote]Phonetically, AJC = AGISSEZ ( = ACT), which could mean anything (political action; dog mess; environment; alternative electricity supplier...)There's an AGC Glass, which sells glazing.I suspect they'll go through a survey-type questionnaire and end up trying to sell you something or other...The mairie will let you know of any legitimate, official survey in the area. Anything else is a sales pitch in disguise.Personally, I would have told them where to go, even if "they are working in all the villages round here".
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[quote user="woolybanana"]Clair, do you have a reference for the correct form of address for the President's wife, svp?[/quote]http://www.eurojuris.fr/fre/collectivites/services-publics/fonction-publique-personnel/articles/role-epouse-president-republique.htmlBest I can do for now... [:)]
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"Especially as to say Madame LA presidente actually is the term used for the president's wife"That's incorrect.The correct from of address for the President's wife is her chosen name: Madame Giscard d'Estaing; Madame Mitterrand; Madame Pompidou; etc...The form of address would be used for a female President."If you have a body for making the rules for the nation then it is bloody silly to have a different set of rules in pay at the same time."When he chooses to address someone within the French Parliament, he has to abide by the rules agreed to within that context, in the same way forum members agree to abide by the Code of Conduct when they post here, just as football players agree to abide by the referee's decisions, however much they might disagree with them.He chooses to flaunt the rules and takes the consequences. Let us be clear about something: this is just a show of political grand-standing and has nothing whatsoever to do with being politically or grammatically correct.
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[quote user="woolybanana"]......if you are a parliamentarian.A UMP depute has been fined three months wages because he insisted on saying Madame LE president when a lady was talking in the hemicycle because the regulation of the French parliament brought in by this load of socialist nutters says that the correct form is Madame LA president. However the Academie Francaise says that the LE form is correct.It is however apparently correct to say Madame LE ministre when addressing a lady ministress.So, must I now say Madame LA gendarme when they say LE?I prefer the solution found by the fire brigade for female staff - they use the word Madame la pompette.... (careful...)[/quote]Slightly misleading, FurryBanana...The fine was imposed because of his lack of respect towards parliamentary protocol.The geezer in question is a recidivist and had been advised and warned many times before. Is he a French Dennis Skinner? [:-))]and finally...the correct form is Madame LA presidente.[kiss]
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The cost of postal stamps and of parcel delivery will increase by around 7% on 1st January 2015.Red stamp (= priority delivery 24-48h): from 0.66€ to 0.76€Green stamp (= del ±48h): from 0.61€ to 0.68€Grey stamp (= 2nd class delivery, up to 4 days): from 0.59€ to ??"Coloured" stamps are valid permanently, so you can buy them in advance of the price increase, one carnet at a time...You can buy stamps from your bureau de poste or on line.
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I'm half-way through the Netflix trial, and taking full advantage of it... well, as much as Netflix in France will allow [:)], considering the restrictions placed on the availability of films and series...The choice of series seems to me to be more restricted than on the US and UK listings, and when there is something I want to watch, I find that the latest seasons are not available, even though they are listed on Netflix US and UK.For instance, I can binge-watch seasons 1 and 2 of the BBC series Luther on Netflix France, but season 3 is not available.Same with House and countless other US/UK series.I like having the option of watching US/UK films and series in their original language... I may have mentioned (once or twice [Www]) before how I cannot stand dubbed programs on French TV!I will carry on watching until the end of the trial, but will cancel the subscription before the first Paypal payment.I don't know how much it costs to subscribe for a similar service with other suppliers in France, but at 8€ a month, it might have been worth it if I did not already have access to Netflix US/UK by other means.I have read that Netflix subscription will also be available to Orange TV viewers from November...
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I am convinced that whoever wrote about "La France Profonde" must have got lost around here! [:D]Speeds of 13+, I can only dream of... We got 9 with Orange at first, now settled around 7 and happy with that, as with SFR, we were getting barely above 2...[:'(]
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Our phone line (not the SFR box, but the line itself) went on the blink after a thunderstorm Sunday 21st September and I spent a lot of time on my mobile during the week, trying to get SFR to get it sorted. The line came back to life after 5 days without any intervention from SFR (I know that because they were still calling me about the problem when I was back online.)I got frustrated during the 5 days without a phone/internet line, and I started thinking about using another ISP, then decided to pay Orange a visit after seeing their offers online.I turned out that Orange could match SFR on price (37€ per month) and services (ASDL + phone + internet TV SFR cannot supply), with the addition of a satellite TV receiver and ASDL speeds over three times faster than we were getting with SFR.I signed on on Saturday afternoon and the line transfer was done by 8am on Sunday morning!The Zen offer I signed for gives me a 14€ discount for 12 months (168€ over the year) and Orange will also refund SFR's 45€ exit fee.The faster speeds means we can stream HD movies and series from Netflix, Plex and Sky, without buffering, pixelating or image stuttering on our (still free, for now) SmartTV! [:D]All in all, an excellent decision!
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[quote user="NormanH"]It looked to be the usual pap so I didn't bother.If you were a Pirate (unlike the good folk here) you might consider Popcorn Time (with a VPN) for the few UK TV series it says it hashttp://www.time4popcorn.eu/[/quote]I have read about people who share their Hulu Plus / Amazon (Lovefilm) / Netflix access accounts for a modest annual fee...I'll try Netflix France for a month and report back! [:)]
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Has anyone opened a French Netflix account yet?I received an invite for a 1-month free trial, to be converted to a subscription account at 7.99€/month... Haven't tried it yet...I'll try it out, but am reluctant to sign on long-term, as the usual French protectionism seems to restrict the content quite drastically...More details HERE...
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That's the thing, you see... It's not that the law isn't followed or applied, because it is. As strictly as possible, right up to the line.My frustration came from the manner in which the problem was handled. The 5 or 6 different people I spoke to over several days and several calls made all the right noises and said all the things they needed to say to pacify me and get me off the phone (by the way, the tel n° shown on their web pages is an expensive one and I had to scour their T&C pages to find a tel n° at local cost), but when it came down to it, nobody actually did anything to resolve the problem apart from giving me a tel n° for Samsung... the same n° I had found when I had looked at Samsung's website.At no time did anyone call me or return any of my calls. All the conversations were initiated by me and every time, I had to jump through the same hoops to end up in the exact same position.I was pretty confident I would get a resolution one way or another, either through the shop or through Paypal, but I was frustrated by how passively obstructive these people were. They say they're there to help, but in fact, they simply go through the motions until the customer gets off the line.I have learnt to choose my battles along the way, but that doesn't mean I'm a pushover, so I'll play them the same way they played me. I'll end up giving them their money...probably... but I'll try to have some fun along the way...
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I think there might be some confusion somewhere along the line...There is the retraction period where the buyer of online goods has 14 days to change his mind and return the goods, no questions asked, bearing in mind that the return costs are out of his pocket, and the goods must be received by the shop in a resalable condition. There is a specific procedure usually hidden in the shop's website. The shop must be advised of the return within the legal time-frame (14 calendar days) and they forward an authorisation code to be included in the package. Otherwise they can refuse the delivery/return of the goods.That is different from rejecting goods as unfit for purpose or unsuitable.This is possible within specific conditions.If/when something doesn't work as it should, the buyer's recourse is with the shop in the first instance; the shop must take action, either with a repair or a replacement/refund.The buyer can demand a replacement or refund, but the choice remains with the shop. That choice is dictated by the value of the goods against the cost of the repair or replacement.
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[quote user="woolybanana"]You sound like Mr Salmond![/quote]Not sure if that's meant as an insult or a compliment... [8-)]I'm sure we'll both fall flat on our face soon enough...! [:D]
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What on earth did I do or say to give you that impression? [blink] [8-)]If the shop in question decide they want paying for the TV, they'll have to provide whatever details I decide I'll need to consider their request.They may have to provide them again.And again.And, as they said to me in their numerous emails, "failure to reply within 7 days will lead to the file being closed." (Sans retour de votre part sous 7 jours, nous serons dans l'obligation de clôturer ce dossier.)If I'm satisfied with the details they provide, I'll consider the request, then decline it because I have proof I have already paid for the darned TV. They told me so themselves in their email when they agreed to deliver!
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[quote user="woolybanana"]So, Clair, you want the beurre and the argent du beurre!!![/quote]Actually, I already have the beurre and l'argent du beurre...!
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[quote user="mint"]... I HAVE bought from Cdiscount and they seem OK but I haven't had to contact their customer services so the jury's really still out on that one. [/quote]I couldn't possibly comment... [Www] [Www][Www]
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Mr Clair and I had been considering changing our power-hungry plasma-screen TV (bought for next to nothing in 2009) for a new
fandangled LED-3D-SmartTV thingybob...Mr Clair already knew which one he wanted and where to buy it from... not one of my usual online shops and one about which I'd read a few negative comments, but the price difference was considerable and they have a drop-off delivery point at Géant in Aurillac, so I went against my gut feeling, relented and placed the order, paying through Paypal.
A week later, the TV is switched on, the various devices connected and all is well... until the screen goes black and my nightmare begins.
Although it's a bank holiday weekend, someone answers the phone at the online shop and I'm asked to call the manufacturer's
(Samsung) tech services on Monday.Samsung take the details and suggest either a tech visit within 15-20 days or, as the purchase is still within the time frame, I could tell the online shop I'd changed my mind about the purchase.
The online shop accepts I can change my mind, but reminds me I'll have to pay for the return of the TV, which might necessitate a transporter pick-up from my home or from the shop where I collected it. I object and ask for a supervisor. I'm told someone will contact me within 48-72 hours.
Several identical emails arrive from the online shop "Customer Care" dept, each one automatically generated by my calls, each email expressing concern about my problem and asking me to supply the same details again.
I get slightly concerned and open a claim through Paypal... just in case...
Several days go by without any contact from the online shop, so I call again, and this time, I tell them I want to forget the whole thing, including their poor performance, and demand a refund as the TV is not up to its job. They accept my request and
yet another auto-generated email arrives (same fake concern and request for the details)...Then I get another email from them, saying that Samsung has told them that I had refused their suggested repair, so now the online shop considers they have done all they were obligated to do and my request for a refund is denied and that's that. File closed.
At that stage, I'm 13 days into the legal retraction period of 14 days. I can still change my mind, but I'll have to pay to return the TV, and I don't trust the online shop not to find a way to delay or reduce the refund...
I'm fuming...
I contact Samsung again, give them a verbal lashing and they arrange for a technician to visit within 2 days.
I raise a formal complaint through Paypal. Paypal confirm that the online shop has to reply to their request for info within 7 days.
In the meantime, the Samsung tech arrives as expected and gets the TV going.
I received an email from Paypal a few days later to say that they have studied my claim and ruled in my favour! The money - 650€ - has been transferred back to my bank account,
and I haven't heard anything from the online shop... yet...Despite the manner in which the problem was handled, the online shop has acted within the law, even if this has been applied in the strictest possible way. The option to repair or exchange/refund is the seller's to make, not the buyer. With hindsight, it's clear that the prices are so competitive that they cannot possibly entertain the cost of transporting goods for repair, exchange or refund every time something goes wrong.
It is my gut feeling that this online shop has simply ignored the Paypal request for info about the problem, either through ignorance of Paypal's system, through laziness or because of overwhelmed staff, and that Paypal simply refunded the purchase according to their own T&C. I doubt that the online shop has even realised (yet) that they have a shortfall...
In future, I'll stick to Amazon, Darty and FNAC, and I'll pay through Paypal again. I should have trusted my gut feeling. The potential saving is definitely not worth the hassle, the worry, the concern and the frustration.
So... can I have my cake and eat it, I wonder? [Www]
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[quote user="NickP"]Come on that is absolute B+++++++S and you know it![/quote]BarnacleS?BeeskneeS?BeachbumS?[:)] [;-)]
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P can stand for many things if you have no idea what it means... I'm sure anyone could find an insult in anything, if they're so minded...PointyPleasantPedantPotatoPheasantPhoto... etc[:)]
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In reply to NickP:1.) I cannot speak for the other Mods, but I will say that my usual activities do not always involve checking on the forum... Sorry you've have to wait and to grumble publicly for me to look at your report.2.) I can see no abuse in the post you reported.
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I am asked every year by the insurance agent (MAAF) to ensure that all outside doors are secured and that access from outside requires a key. This was clearly explained clearly as "you must open/lock the door with a key when you're outside. Any padlock or handle etc can be installed inside or outside, but you can access from outside only with a key."This applies to all the doors opening into the house, including the inside trap door between the house and the cellar.My understanding is that this is a standard requirement for all French house insurance contracts.
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Charlie Hebdo
in The Complete France Post Bag
Posted
Thank you for the link Clair from which I have used the other links to read even more.
With regards to the quote from Nick Clegg all I can say is that he certainly does not live by what he has written/said. Whenever he has been 'offended' he certainly has been quite vocal and has definitely not taken his own advice.[/quote]
You're welcome.
Re Nick Clegg: Are we reading the same comment?
[quote]"We have no right not to be offended."[/quote]