NickP

When I was editing the "bums" out of my post,  I realised that  in the Loir et Cher, we have very few Holly trees, in fact they are as rare as hens teeth, is this the same in other parts of France?

"Sorry, Nick, I really did find the post useful and that did make me giggle." Thats OK lulu we've all got a typo in us, although it does alter the fragrance situation.It made me laugh, but I had to edit it.

Buy as soon as possible and you need to store it to let it dry. I think that the only wood that you can burn "green" is Ash. You can buy a small cheap humidity gauge, it seems that around 15% is a good guide,  if it is too dry it burns too quickly and you do not get the benefit of the heat. I found wood fires and the care of was a large learning curve, but a very satisfying one. The following poem and the attributes of the wood are from an unknown author, and seems to make a lot of sense Beech wood fires are bright and clear, If the logs are kept a year. Chestnut's only good, they say, If for long it's laid away. Birch and pine logs burn too fast, Blaze up bright and do not last. Elm wood burns like a church yard mold, Ev'n the very flames are cold. Poplar gives a bitter smoke, Fills your eyes and makes you choke. Apple wood will scent your room, With incense like perfume. Oak and maple, if dry and old, Keep away the winter cold. But ash wood wet and ash wood dry, A king shall warm his slippers by.  Anonymous The Burning Properties of Wood Below is a list of the most common woods for burning, there are more.  It is worth remembering that ALL wood will burn better if split. There is an old saying, "before starting a fire - collect the right wood."  It is worth learning which wood is best for your fires as it will make life a lot easier. A natural result of tree recognition is to learn the burning properties of their woods Alder:  Poor in heat and does not last, Apple:  Splendid/ It burns slowly and steadily when dry, with little flame, but good heat. The scent is pleasing. Ash:  Best burning wood; has both flame and heat, and will bum when green, though naturally not as well as when dry. Beech:  A rival to ash, though not a close one, and only fair when green. If it has a fault, it is apt to shoot embers a long way. Birch:  The heat is good but it burns quickly. The smell is pleasant. Cedar:  Good when dry. Full of crackle and snap. It gives little flame but much heat, and the scent is beautiful. Cherry:  Burns slowly, with good heat. Another wood with the advantage of scent Chestnut. Mediocre. Apt to shoot embers. Small flame and heating power. Douglas Fir. Poor. Little flame and heat. Chestnut:  Mediocre. Apt to shoot embers. Small flame and heating power. Douglas Fir:  Poor. Little flame or heat. Elder:   Mediocre. Very smoky. Quick burner, with not much heat. Elm:  Commonly offered for sale. To burn well it needs to be kept for two years. Even then it will smoke. Vary variable fuel. Hazel:  Good. Holly:  Good, will burn when green, but best when kept a season. Hornbeam:  Almost as good as beech. Laburnum:  Totally poisonous tree, acrid smoke, taints food and best never used. Larch:  Crackly, scented, and fairly good for heat. Laurel:  Has brilliant flame. Lime:  Poor. Burns with dull flame. Maple:  Good. Oak:  The novelist's 'blazing fire of oaken logs' is fanciful, Oak is sparse in flame and the smoke is acrid, but dry old oak is excellent for heat, burning slowly and steadily until whole log collapses into cigar-like ash. Pear:  A good heat and a good scent. Pine:  Burns with a splendid flame, but apt to spit. The resinous Weymouth pine has a lovely scent and a cheerful blue flame. Plane:  Burns pleasantly, but is apt to throw sparks if very dry. Plum. Good heat and scent. Plum:  Good heat and aromatic. Poplar:  Truly awful. Rhododendron:  The thick old stems, being very tough, burn well. Robinia (Acacia):  Burns slowly, with good heat, but with acrid smoke. Spruce:  Burns too quickly and with too many sparks. Sycamore:  Burns with a good flame, with moderate heat. Useless green. Thorn:  Quite one of the best woods. Burns slowly, with great heat and little smoke. Walnut. Good, so is the scent. Walnut:  Good, and so is the scent. Aromatic wood. Willow:  Poor. It must be dry to use, and then it burns slowly, with little flame. Apt to spark. Yew:  Last but among the best. Burns slowly, with fierce heat, and the scent is pleasant.  

I think the UK lottery question has raised more questions than answers, still we move on. During my first question I mentioned the situation of the BBC (no I am not shouting, that's their logo) iPlayer and someone came up with the following , which I think is pretty good and actually answers a question raised by someone else about the iPlayer not allowing British people with a foreign server to access the iPlayer. My thanks to Marc who sent me this explanation. " BBC iPlayer is regulated by a different system - a GeoIP restriction. Each time you connect to the internet, you get assigned a unique address, a series of numbers, depending on your geographical local and type of connection, an 'IP address'. When you go to a website, check your email or go anywhere on the net, this address is logged. When you launch the iPlayer, the first thing that happens is that it checks the IP address, and verifies the 'country' section of the code. If it detects in our example, a French code, all access is blocked - the iPlayer will only work if a UK code is detected. This is not ideal for a number of reasons as the system is not without flaws; If your connection in the UK is routed via an exterior country as some business connections are, if you are using types of satelite internet, if you have a randomly generated IPsatellite for any reasons, you are blocked out of the system unfairly. The reasons for this country check is that the BBC feels that as the iPlayer is funded from Licence money in the UK, it is not fair for other people outside of the UK to watch for 'free', without paying. Also, the film and production companies sell their media to different geographic locations, such as the Premier League to the Sky and the BBC in the UK, but Canal+ and Canal Sport in France etc. The prices that TV companies can demand for content is therefore forced by these geographic restrictions. With the UK lottery, they probably have a log of the fact that the connection from which you bought is in France, all your address and banking details etc are in the UK, hence the reason you can still purchase online. I used to buy tickets online when I had a UK address. I moved to Holland, changed the address on the account, and, and also the card, and was immediately blocked! This has remained the case when I tried to add my French details after the move here."  So once again Marc, many thanks for the explanation.

[quote user="Russethouse"] It's better than nothing   If you can gain the sense of the piece you can at least ask  more informed questions. In any case someone has already answered your question. [/quote] Please read what you have just written? Google, can't translate a shopping list let alone a legal directive. As for asking more informed questions, I'm afraid I don't understand the contradiction in terms. Maybe you could enlighten me. You said "someone has already answered your question", yes that is correct, and I said thank you to Les

http://email.about.com/cs/netiquettetips/qt/et020801.htm Clair, Well I did as you suggested and looked at your link on etiquette lessons and let them sink in.The problem at my age, is trying to remember them, still we'll try. While there I looked at the author's history (Heinz Tschabitscher) my golly he sounds like a bundle fun .

[quote user="Russethouse"] Russethouse, Well I tried to read Wills link, but my French is not too good, although I do go to school every week to try to improve. But come on, reading a French Bureaucratic paper? A complete nightmare unless you are a French lawyer, even then there would be problems, I don’t think most of us can read or understand an English legal paper, as for an American one? Well there may be all sorts of things that I don't understand about computers but I have managed to install an option from google that gives me the option to translate the French pages I visit, to English.....very useful ! [/quote] yes, I have used this "translation tool" and if that is not a perfect example of an oxymoron I don't know what is. Come on, you really want me to believe that you would trust Google to translate a legal paper.Your 'aving a larf

[quote user="AnOther"][quote user="NickP"]Les, thanks mate you have confirmed what I found out today from somebody who has won money on the UK lottery with a ticket bought on line in France. It appears that as long as you are a British resident, operate your lottery account through a British Bank/credit card account, you can buy tickets for the UK lottery online when you are in France and get paid out if your ticket wins. [/quote]And you regard that as conclusive proof that it's legal do you ? [/quote] No, nothing until it goes before the appeal court and the house of Lords is ever conclusive legal proof. But I think I am happy with it and quite prepared to buy my tickets "online" either in England or France.

[quote user="Clair"][quote user="NickP"]I just thought it was a good subject to encourage debate. After all that is what forums are about or have I missed something. [/quote] There's a world of difference between having a debate and demanding answers and SHOUTING... [/quote] Clair, Ok, I didn’t know that was “shouting” so I put my hands up, plead guilty and say sorry. Mind you, as you are so sensitive how come you didn’t say anything about the guy who wrote in large bold characters, “then ring Camelot yourself” isn’t that shouting ?             Russethouse, Well I tried to read Wills link, but my French is not too good, although I do go to school every week to try to improve. But come on, reading a French Bureaucratic paper? A complete nightmare unless you are a French lawyer, even then there would be problems, I don’t think most of us can read or understand an English legal paper, as for an American one? Les, thanks mate you have confirmed what I found out today from somebody who has won money on the UK lottery with a ticket bought on line in France. It appears that as long as you are a British resident, operate your lottery account through a British Bank/credit card account, you can buy tickets for the UK lottery online when you are in France and get paid out if your ticket wins.

[quote user="Clair"][quote user="NickP"]I just thought it was a good subject to encourage debate. After all that is what forums are about or have I missed something. [/quote] There's a world of difference between having a debate and demanding answers and SHOUTING.. [/quote].Excuse me, who's shouting? As for demanding answers I am not demanding anything, just asking if anybody has an answer to a specific question, as some of the replies are opinions not answers, or has that gone over your head? I think it has. I have taken on board peoples opinions, indeed I welcome them, but am still looking for the answer, so lets stick to the debate in hand. By the way I didn't get the six numbers last night.

"People on here are giving you their opinions and advises............. If you don't like them and want the definitive answer Then ring Camelot yourself. " Well I might do that,  I just thought it was a good subject to encourage debate. After all that is what forums are about or have I missed something. With a bit of luck if I can find the geographical number it won't cost anything, as Teleconnect; if it's working will put the right plugs into the correct holes and I will get the info straight from the horses mouth. If I do I will pass on the result. Sorry I must go as I have to check tonights numbers, you never know. 

[quote user="Will"]The BBC is enforcing the terms of its broadcasting license, which it obviously feels it has a responsibility to do. Camelot however has no responsibility to enforce French law. [/quote] The BBC doesn't bother enforcing it's responsibility's in regard to broadcasting when it comes to  satellite , nor does any other "British" broadcaster. As for Camelot they have no interest in French or any other country's laws unless it gives them an escape route into not paying out. Still waiting for the answer, is it legal to purchase UK lottery tickets in France, YES or NO?????

[quote user="AnOther"][quote user="NickP"]So now can you answer the rest of the question, is it illegal in France to buy tickets for a foreign lottery? If it is; why do they Camelot UK,  not refuse your money from a computer that is obviously using a foreign telephone line.[/quote]There is no 'obvious' about it. All Camelot may be able to see, and I stress MAY, is your IP address but that is not conclusive proof of point of origin neither is there any immediate direct link between an IP address and a telephone number so it is really neither possible, nor practical for them to vet online purchases in real time. It may well be that some record is kept of online purchases though which can be checked in case of a win and queried if they suspect something and if they do then the onus will be placed on the player to prove eligibility if challenged. [/quote]If you are correct, please tell me how come the BBC will not allow me to use the IPlayer as they say that this service is not available in your region. I use a French ISP when I am in France  and a French telephone line; so it is obvious to the BBC where I am. .  So, if it is illegal to purchase foreign lottery tickets in France why do Camelot take my money and not warn me that I am breaking the law? Or why do they not categorically state in their rules which country's do not allow you legally to purchase foreign lottery tickets. I think the answer is either it's not illegal to purchase UK lottery tickets in France or  Camelot is taking peoples money under false pretences. Any one with the definitive answer?

[quote user="Russethouse"] From the FAQs  http://www.national-lottery.co.uk/player/p/help/faqs.ftl#int_GetStarted2 Can I play while overseas? Please remember, you need to be a resident of the UK or Isle of Man at all times when you play UK National Lottery games through your interactive Account. In countries outside of the UK and Isle of Man, local laws often prevent the sale or purchase of tickets for any overseas lottery. To protect players and the UK National Lottery, the National Lottery Rules and Terms and Conditions prohibit people from playing on line in any country where it is unlawful to do so. Lawfulness will vary from country to country and, possibly, from time to time. This also means that, under local laws and National Lottery rules, we would not be able to pay out any prize in these circumstances. Therefore, we would advise players to assume that it is unlawful to purchase a ticket whilst abroad, and to only buy their tickets whilst located in the UK or Isle of Man. We would therefore advise you only to buy your tickets online when you are actually located in the UK or the Isle of Man. This also applies when playing by text. Looks pretty clear to me, you are not supposed to play. [/quote]I am a resident of the UK, my house here is a holiday home. So now can you answer the rest of the question, is it illegal in France to buy tickets for a foreign lottery? If it is; why do they Camelot UK,  not refuse your money from a computer that is obviously using a foreign telephone line.

Any one got any information about the legality of buying UK national lottery tickets on line while the buyer is in France? I have done this now for five years and had small (£10) wins credited to my account without problems. There now seems to be a scare going round about the legality of buying tickets while abroad, and that Camelot might not pay out if you win. They give no warnings when you "log on",  and they accept your money. I looked at the terms and conditions and they are; I think; deliberately vague, they say "they cannot identify which counties are involved as local laws change constantly"  Interesting that they do not give a warning at log on time, as if you try to watch anything on BBC IPlayer from France, a notice appears that says this service is not available in your region. I would just hate to win a bigger prize and then get told "no mate you bought this in France, we can't pay you out".

Weedon ,  Re: Hard Rains  gonna fall          Although I've always been a Bob Dylan fan , I think that the  Bryan Ferry version is better, seems to have more emotion and sounds more genuine talking about his son, also a much better production. Just for once, I feel Bob didn't do the song justice

I have just managed to get a copy of The Skiffle Sessions, featuring Lonnie Donegan, Chris Barber and Van Morrison. Best track "lost John". Another new acquisition "Riding with the king" Eric Clapton & B B King. If you have a good sense of humour, try Bull Moose Jackson, "I want a bowlegged woman" or "Get off the table Mabel the two dollars is for the beer"

Thank you all for your help. You are right, it's Charles Aznavour, mes emmerdes. Sorry for the misinformation but the old memory is not what it used to be. Wonderful tune great singer.

Can any of you help us out , Nostalgie Radio plays a French song that has a three line chorus, Mon ami, Mon Amour, Mon something or the other, and try as we will, and we do, we cannot make out the third line. So could any body out there who French is better than mine, and that means most of you, please oblige and tell us the third line and put us out of our misery. Many thanks in anticipation.  NickP         

Shame that Mick's acting is not up to his singing

If you love music take a look at this beautifully made and produced video   http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=2539741

Maybe Madonna should look to helping needy people in America, there are lots of children there that need a home, but I suppose that the publicity would not be on a global scale. 

They are all crooks and we condone it  by voting for them. The French had the right idea, chop their heads off.

  In England the price on the shelf is not enforceable in law, for example a shelf price of £3 for a tin of paint, you get to the till and they say it's £5, it was wrongly priced, you have no right to the £3 price. Also in England we constantly buy jars of coffee in Sainsburys, and very often two small jars are cheaper than one large one of the same quantity. We find the prices in France equally bizarre, my wife has prices down to a fine art, and all supermarket bills are checked before we leave the store whether in England or France . When you live on equity interest, money is precious, thanks to Gordon Brown.

The French call these bugs Gendarmes, because they are always in twos, We get lots of them on our Hybiscus shrubs they do not seem to do any harm