velcorin

Also the first French guest will take everything.....................saves them buying lunch. [:D]

At last it is working. After the spectacular crash of the site on launch day (14 July!) of the hi-tech face of France, cue muchos red faces and embarrassment in high places, it's working. However, Canard has been digging. Seems this international publicity disaster, for me, the taxpayer, was bl**dy expensive. http://www.leparisien.fr/politique/le-cout-du-site-france-fr-fait-debat-18-08-2010-1035719.php If like me, you spend time on French corporate websites, you'll know how useless they are, so perhaps it's not surprising the State couldn't get it right either[:D]

It never ceases to appal me the sheer amount of graffati in French cities, compared to anywhere else in Europe. I am however amazed just how they manage to spray on some of the places they reach. I'm normally very liberal on "law and order", but here's something Sarko SHOULD do...........http://www.francesoir.fr/etranger-faits-divers-justice-prison/singapour-sept-mois-de-prison-et-trois-coups-de-batons-pour-des-tags.8810 Is this news in Suisse, Swissie?

It could be revealing (politically) how the UK press handles this http://www.leparisien.fr/flash-actualite-economie/moody-s-quatre-pays-dont-la-france-s-approchent-de-la-perte-de-leur-note-aaa-17-08-2010-1034630.php Basically the French press are saying that Moodys say that FR/DE/US/UK are all in the same boat. Wonder how the BBC will play the story?

Sometimes if feel exactly the same way as Will when people specifically single out the UK. It shows to me a lack of knowledge of other countries, whether that be through choice, lack of language skills, or some sort of inverted reiterated proof as to why the left. Or the British really so patrochial? For every negative British story I could quote a hundred worse French ones. I don't. Life's too short. If you want REAL French news try http://www.leparisien.fr/actualites-informations-direct-videos-parisien . If you wanted I'm sure babelfish will translate. Should soon knock any twee images of France out of you. Just realised where the term littlke Englanders comes from[:D]  

Nothing wrong with a bit of inflation 1-2-3%. Without it you get deflation, when companies/people stop capex/buying, coz they know it will be cheaper next week, and then the whole national econmy grinds to a halt. Like Japan. FTSE is doing OK, bonds doing OK, company profits and liquidity sky high, unemployment stable/decreasing. What's not to like? Sept/Oct could be interesting. Sarko/Lagarde are being forced to announce how they will tackle the French deficit, which is ballpark the same as the UK, and started at a much, much higher level. To date they've fudged things, but the Germans have told them put up. or shut up. Don't plan on going anywhere, coz I don't think the CGT will let you[:D] Announced so far 23 rurale hospitals closing (yeah, right[;-)]), pension age up, lecky up 25% over 2 years, cancelling the CGT proposed decrease on second homes (tough luck guys, it was going to be cancelled!), unspecified "substantial" increases in local household taxes. Some of these are actually counterproductive, but heyho when has anything a politician said been the truth. Expected. Nothing, they'll tell the Germans to stuff it, and fudge things again. EUR will be hit, unemployment up, Sarko picks a new bunch of foreigners to blame.

As SD says, you would have been expected to report it at the time, otherwise it would be considered a maintenance issue. Our policy has a maximum of 14 days, OK for us at our main home, but not easy for the residence secondaire, we have neighbours who check for us, as we only visit 1-2 times per month, when I always do a visual inspection of the roof. I'd guess it would catch out most holiday home owners as well.

Been to the ATM 6 times now. No luck. Missus is starting to ask questions. Think I've been sussed!?

During the recent polemic over Sarko's recent crime/security drive the PS got a few digs in against him. Specifcally, that France now has the highest violent crime, murder and property crime rates in the OECD. Britain was given as an example of how law and order should be done (that may sound bizarre to some!). But, France has 3 times as many law officers, but twice the crime rate, compared to Britain. (don't shoot the messenger!, it's according to the PS, the article has been archived unfortunately)  

A different sort of distraction theft! Some people might wish it would happen to then...........  http://www.leparisien.fr/paris-75/paris-la-voleuse-montre-ses-seins-13-08-2010-1030612.php

Wow Oldgit, I'm guessing you're retired, living rurale and don't follow the French media? Love it[:D] Keep the blinkers on[:D]  

Good? Dusseldorf and Valencia, and loads of other little ones, mainly in the UK. Of the big European aeroports, only the UK ones, LHR, Gatwick, Manchester get the thumbs up.

Grassed up by her own daughter. She's confessed. http://www.leparisien.fr/faits-divers/retraite-congele-la-concubine-avoue-le-meurtre-11-08-2010-1028527.php So we have a mother who's answer to birth control was to bury the babies under the patio, and now despite murdering her boyfriend she couldn't really bear to be parted from him. Who said France was boring? Well me.......................but it's certainly perked up recently.  

I managed to restrain myself Sweet17.............but only just. I didn't post the first version[;-)]

Read about it when I did my news catch up first thing this morning, it just said he was un restaurateur à la retraite. I thought a bit weird that the woman had lived in the apartment, with the body, for 2 years. Didn't she have problems sleeping at night...........?

I just think they run out of ideas what to call places, and end up with something stupid. There's a lieu dit round us called Ane Mort. Why? I don't suppose the body is still there. Cue lots of schoolboy humour language posts[:)]  

Not been to any US airports recently, can't comment. BCN, El Prat, was appalling until recently. Just squalid. I have to fly Luftwaffe out of Roissy.

100% agree, certainly gets my vote. I spend probably 5-6 hours a week in the place, it is absolutely awful. I love the chicken wire holding the ceiling up, the baby poo brown decor, the total lack of food, the dirt, the mice running around, I just love it! http://www.leparisien.fr/transports/roissy-est-le-pire-aeroport-du-monde-04-08-2010-1021296.php  

I've not followed this in the British media. However, from your comments I think they've missed the point. It is the fact that the video has been released at all that is significant. The incident took place nearly 2 weeks ago. As normal the mainstream French media wouldn't show it. As a general rule, they are a bit like the old style communist press. Won't show anything negative to tthe State. Now there is a new player on the block, Mediapart. Internet based, they broke the Bettencourt/Woerth scandal, again which the mainstream media wouldn't touch. They showed the video, CNN picked up on it, and then the mainstream media couldn't ignore it. Like the B/W scandal. The unhealthy relationship between the French media and the State is difficult for Brits/Americans to get the heads around. Mitterands parallel family, Chirac's food expenses, etc, were never discussed in France. Watch Sarko shut Mediapart down pronto[:@] or the reality of the French State will be all over the media for all to see.

This is getting a bit surreal. I wish I never mentioned Belgium. Officially Sarko is (medically) perfectly healthy. No comments on his mental health.  http://www.francesoir.fr/politique-sante/sarkozy-va-bien

Nope, you've got me this time PPP. Blum was Jewish, Socialist and PM. Help me out, what have I missed?

I'm back! Cheers Chancer. I reread that sentence, it is gibberish, not exactly a shing advert for public schools[+o(]. You get the gist though. Over lunch I've caught up with the weekend press. 100% they all agree with me. Hot air and bullsh*t. Even his own party are against him now. OK Chancer I will accept AE. But like, name 2 famous Belges (really, not fictional). Name another success[:D]

He’s got record low approval rating, a stalled economy, allegations of campaign finance irregularities, corruption. So, he fights back stressing security, his signature issue from his May 2007 election. Sarko first launched his crime crackdown when he was Interior Minister in 2002, so it’s a seven-year record that he’s being judged on, not just his three years as President. It’s not a good thing for him if people don’t think things haven’t got better. He's acheived zip. Just like the economy, just like everything else he promised. Name something he has actually acheived[Www] (I'm waiting[:D]) No, I haven’t heard the speech. I do think he speaks well, but so did a certain Adolf.

http://www.leparisien.fr/politique/sarkozy-veut-retirer-la-nationalite-a-certains-criminels-d-origine-etrangere-30-07-2010-1017227.php Some of this beggers belief. 1 It will be official. A foncs life IS more valuable than a citizen (read SMICard) 2 Let's repeat history. We kicked the Hugenoets out, we kicked the Jews out, we kicked the Roma out. Now let's kick the Roma out again, and anybody else we wants to stigmatise in order to save our priviledged little political neck. 3 The Constitution protects Citizen from the State. How is the State going to remove Citizenship from Citizens, without rewriting the Constitution? Presumably in the same rewrite he'd be Emperor for life? Hot air, filling headlines, call it what you want. Desperation? Engaging brain before opening mouth, as President he's dangerous.

[quote user="zarathustra"]You have to appreciate it works both ways. My wife's French and if we're abroad, and she comes across another French family, she usually cringes and wants to disassociate herself from them. I remember being in Madeira last year: we'd gone down for breakfast fairly early, but a lot of the fresh fruits and bread had gone, and the staff won't replenishing them. A French family sitting opposite us had their breakfast and had also helped themselves to lots more. They sat at the table making themselves sandwiches and a picnic lunch from the breakfast meant for all the guests! Even I was quite gob-smacked at their audacity. [/quote] Same here. Missus cringes, and pretends she's English, when she hears French spoken when we're in the UK. Seen the lunch trick done by the French many, many times. And why are they so loud? And they all want to be her friend because she speaks the same language! And they all have so many personal problems!