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brianagain

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Everything posted by brianagain

  1. Oddly enough I thought it was the collapse of Lehman Brothers bank in the US that triggered the global financial crisis - not Gordon Brown. In hindsight financial regulation was too lax in the UK; however don’t forget that in 2006 David Cameron was saying  "The lessons from the City are clear. Low tax. Low regulation. Meritocracy. Openness. Innovation. These are the keys to success. The government is wedded to the impulse to over-regulate…" In other words he would have preferred even less regulation at the time! With his running scared of a face-to-face in the coming election debates I doubt Cameron would have commanded the respect and resolve that Gordon Brown showed at the time in saving the banks from their own folly. However, as I said in my earlier post,  in my opinion, I think Gordon Brown’s actions will be judged more fairly in the future - but only time will tell.
  2. I feel that history will judge Gordon Brown more fairly than today's right wing press allow - unlike the current holders of the premiership and chancellor.
  3. We have holidayed several times just over the Rhine in the Kaiserstuhl (but always taking time visiting the villages along the Alsace wine road) so would recommend a visit to the vineyards of the Kaiserstuhl. Eguisheim is about 30 minutes by road from Breisach am Rhein where there is a (very) big wine coop.  You might even be tempted to try the sauerkraut in one of the local village restaurants!
  4. I still remember well some years ago a couple whose family name was Pipe; they named their son Dwayne.[:)]
  5. Other than an Italian rider taking the yellow jersey, it was encouraging to see French riders occupying the other two podium places. Although Peraud (2nd) is probably soon to retire, younger riders like Thibaud Pinot (3rd) and Romain Bardet (5th) mean that France may once again see a winner of the Tour in the next couple of years. It's a very long time since the days of Hinault and Fignon.
  6. Today was an exciting day's racing with Nibali stamping his authority on the race. Even though Froome has unfortunately retired I'm sure Sky's plan B will see Richie Porte, currently in 8th position, take over leadership - he was excellent supporting Froome in last year's tour so could do well on his own account, ably supported by Geraint Thomas.
  7. As well as Derek's link to Steephill, another good site for finding live internet streams and highlight videos can be found at Cycling Fans http://www.cyclingfans.com/live_race_coverage
  8. I liked reading the comments, including the additional "Good morning, can I have a coffee please - €20" http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/dec/11/french-cafe-discounts-police-customers Apologies if you've already come across this. Brian (again)
  9. [quote user="woolybanana"]What a bunch of *ankers[/quote] I assume you are referring to the legal profession and the UK's increasing 'blame and sue' compensation culture. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/banksandfinance/insurance/10221301/Britains-compensation-culture-is-out-of-control-insurance-chief-warns.html
  10. Another option might be to fly Toulouse - Frankfurt and then travel by train (ICE) from Frankfurt Airport station to Cologne (about 1 hour) - Lufthansa do a combined ticket. Brian (again)
  11. [quote user="andyh4"] look at Lufthansa.[/quote] Found a much better (cheaper and much more amenable) deal for my daughter last month using Lufthansa from Birmingham-Nuremburg via Frankfurt than Stansted direct using Ryanair.   [quote user="andyh4"]...not the Duesseldorf that is 80km away and nearer to Arnhem and with only bus connections... [/quote] Used to be RAF Laarbruch and a Buccaneer base when I knew it back in the late 1970s Brian (again)
  12. Translates as 'sirop de sucre roux' Not sure how easy it is to obtain but I can remember buying some made by Dillon years ago which was used as a mixer with (Dillon) rhum. Brian (again)
  13. It's been marinated in the gent's urinal is the impression I had when I tried andouilette (twice). Yeuck! Brian (again)
  14. [quote user="woolybanana"]...and the indomitable Harriet Harman has said that there should be a women's race alongside the men's. I was wondering what form this might take - a pram race, tricycles, egg and sperm, or straight cycling. [/quote] It's not just Harriet Harman!  There's lots of others who would like to see this (a regular bike race that is).  "Petition nears 70,000 signatures Amaury Sport Organisation (ASO) has indicated they are open to a return of a women's Tour de France as a petition campaign fronted by world champion Marianne Vos gains momentum." http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/aso-discussing-possibility-of-womens-tour-de-france Brian (again)
  15. [quote user="dwmcn"]nana, Froome cheated, and will win. A bit like some others have done. David [/quote] Taking food or water during the final stages from a team car during the final km of a race is a minor infraction compared to the poisoned legacy to the sport left by dopers like Armstrong. Unfortunately this belief by many that everybody cheats in cycling leads to ugly incidents like that which occurred yesterday when a team Sky vehicle was in a minor traffic accident. Hope the French guy in the polka dot jersey didn't hurt too much later (not!). http://youtu.be/bHJistBOCu8 Brian (again)
  16. [quote user="Quillan"][quote user="You can call me Betty"]"oh, and Nigel Farage" [:P] [/quote] Do we know where he is these days or has he fallen in to the same black hole as Prescot and Brown, never (or rarely) to be seen again (thank God). [;-)] [/quote] Perhaps he's back in Brussels claiming his expenses as an MEP and/or representing his constituents.[:)] Brian (again)
  17. Been watching the extensive cover of le tour on FR2/FR3. As always the "extras" such as the local agricultural displays, beautiful scenery and information on the chateaux and churches as they are passed-by add to what may otherwise be just a bike race to the casual viewer. Interested to note just how many union jack flags being waved by the roadside fans so the spectacle is obviously popular with British locals or tourists. Having visited much of France it's always pleasant to "revisit", on tv, places we have been; especially looking forward to the stage which finishes on Mont Ventoux next Sunday.  Hopefully the other GC riders will take the race to Chris Froome and not just settle for fighting over the minor placings. Brian (again)
  18. http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2013/jul/09/france-hadopi-law-anti-piracy Another Sarkozy plan scrapped.
  19. I have used B**king.com for almost all my hotel and B&B bookings for many years as their reviews can only be written by customers (who have booked through their website) after they have actually stayed at the establishment, so avoiding some of the trustworthiness problems with TA.
  20. Septante, and nonante are used commonly in French speaking Belgium and Switzerland (not sure about huitante) - plus there is a beer brewed in Lille called Septante Cinq. Possibly the  stranger in the video is either Belgian or Swiss. Brian (again)
  21. Although DB can't sell you a ticket for journeys other than to or within Germany, the best site for checking timetables in Europe is http://www.bahn.de/i/view/GBR/en/index.shtml It will easily find the direct Eurostar Saturday summer service to Aix, but if you optionally specify Lille as a stopover it will find about three extra options for changing there. If needed you can then book Eurostar direct or use Raileurope's website to book both legs of the journey. Brian (again)
  22. If the caption to the photograph in the first article (Metro) "Le chantier de la LGV qui doit mettre Toulouse à 3h de Bordeaux devrait débuter en 2017" is true then it hardly seems worth the effort [:)] Brian (again)
  23. Don’t hold your breath - probably another 10 years at least - if it finally goes ahead. http://www.metrofrance.com/toulouse/la-lgv-toulouse-paris-bientot-arrivee-a-destination/mlke!ObLXDpV4RWR4I/ http://tempsreel.nouvelobs.com/politique/20130111.OBS5096/hollande-confirme-la-realisation-de-la-lgv-bordeaux-toulouse.html
  24. [quote user="marmite"] Have heard that by the end of 2012 the option to pay SANEF France using a English card debit or credit will end, These customers will get an option of signing up to the UK offshoot if you want to continue paying in sterling. Of course the monthly fee is higher then the French site. [/quote] The validity of my English credit card runs out this month so I emailed SANEF with the new date of validity (new card just received) and they updated my account so I'm now OK for another four years (I hope). Brian (again)
  25. http://www.raileurope.co.uk/Default.aspx?tabid=101 Via Paris  - not cheap
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