Scooby Posted June 1, 2009 Share Posted June 1, 2009 Not critical Christine - frank and honest. As I said elsewhere France and the UK both have good and bad and trying to pretend that France is some sort of nirvana filled with altruistic superheroes is just plain rubbish.For example, all the criticism on here about UK MP expenses (not saying they are wrong or right) but not a whisper about the corruption in French government. Remember Chirac???? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scooby Posted June 1, 2009 Share Posted June 1, 2009 [quote user="Quillan"]Now now Scooby calm down, you will be coming out with comments about rose tinted glass's next and I shall have run and find my mods hat as I am told by a current member we ain't doing enough moderating these days.[;-)] Remember only say nice positive things NEVER tell the truth, people don't want to hear it. Didn't you know all British politicians are basically honest . See that, two spaces before the full stop. Sorry, I'm happy, no meal tonight, no cooking, first time in 16 days yipeeeeeeeeeee. [:D] [:P] [:D][/quote]Grin [:D] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christine Animal Posted June 1, 2009 Share Posted June 1, 2009 [quote user="Scooby"]Not critical Christine - frank and honest. As I said elsewhere France and the UK both have good and bad and trying to pretend that France is some sort of nirvana filled with altruistic superheroes is just plain rubbish.For example, all the criticism on here about UK MP expenses (not saying they are wrong or right) but not a whisper about the corruption in French government. Remember Chirac????[/quote]Your reply is off point. Corruption was not the subject. You were being critical of people in your village. Maybe you consider that to be frank and honest, but I would not like to be your neighbour watching what I wear, how I am, what I do. I wonder what they think of you. They have probably accepted you for what you are. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scooby Posted June 1, 2009 Share Posted June 1, 2009 LOL I'm not the slightest bit bothered what they think of me, Christine!!! People take me as I am. If someone doesn't like me then that's their problem. The point about expenses was valid - it's a good example of one of the one sided views on here. Btw from conversations with neighbours etc, I think 'watching what others wear, how they are, what they do' is a classic rural french pastime...and they're all much better at it than I am!! [:D] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quillan Posted June 1, 2009 Share Posted June 1, 2009 [quote user="Scooby"] corruption in French government. Remember Chirac????[/quote] What corruption, who [:P] ????? Anyway if there was corruption in French government it wouldn't be as good as UK political corruption would it. I mean where else can you get a bunch of 'politicians' whinging about the massive pension some bloke gets after letting a bank go almost down the pan, banging their fist on the table and demanding instant justice on behalf of the British tax payer like public hanging etc, etc. The next moment they are caught with their trousers down giving the UK populous a huge one and decide to 'retire' and get up to £1.2M a pop golden handshake. Nice work if you can get it, the French have nothing on the English[:D] . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quillan Posted June 1, 2009 Share Posted June 1, 2009 I am going to move this thread to 'Other Topics' because I think that it a better place for it.Quillan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris pp Posted June 1, 2009 Share Posted June 1, 2009 Very briefly Christine and Qullan.I don't spend my life in my village as you both should know and I've been here for 14 years, long enough to have made up my own mind about France with all its wrinkles and I'm certainly not going to be impressed with what most Brits think of France, I meet enough of them to realise just how much they actually know about the Country that they either visit or live in. Obviously I know lots of French people, not least as a result of my activities and in general I get along "just fine". As mentioned, alcoholism, suicide rate, French women and antidepressants, more murders - that's right - more murders, knife crime escalating...and so on....Come on, call it how it is, great for some - crap for others, some pleasant people - some unpleasant people but at the end of the day nothing special, I just like having a place in the countryside with land and a wildlife worth trying to save before it's destroyed, because being destroyed it is, make no mistake about that. Which of course leads me to where France stands in Europe when it comes to wildlife and habitat protection - you got it - near enough last.Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quillan Posted June 1, 2009 Share Posted June 1, 2009 I was sort of taking the pea a little Chris. I have this vision of all these Brits jumping on a ferry (or whatever) on the Saturday with their Daily Mail clutched in one hand telling them how wonderful French life is and buying loads of houses through English speaking agents of undetermined character [;-)] . Perhaps just to cement their view they might book in to a nice B&B somewhere where they clearly view France in the same pinkish glow as the DM. [:D]My first post in this thread was a serious one, the rest are just a bit of Bank Holiday banter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cendrillon Posted June 1, 2009 Share Posted June 1, 2009 [quote user="Scooby"]Not critical Christine - frank and honest. As I said elsewhere France and the UK both have good and bad and trying to pretend that France is some sort of nirvana filled with altruistic superheroes is just plain rubbish.For example, all the criticism on here about UK MP expenses (not saying they are wrong or right) but not a whisper about the corruption in French government. Remember Chirac????[/quote]Well said Scooby. I had a chat with a French lady the other day and mentioned the current situation here in the U.K re. M.P.'s expenses and how some had felt forced to resign. Oh she replied, the same things happen in France, it's all in the papers but our French politians just deny it and stay in power! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christine Animal Posted June 1, 2009 Share Posted June 1, 2009 [quote user="chris pp"]Very briefly Christine and Qullan.I don't spend my life in my village as you both should know [/quote] Sorry Chris, but I never mentioned or referrred to you ? [8-)] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris pp Posted June 1, 2009 Share Posted June 1, 2009 Ooooop's, obviously must be my day for misunderstanding.Another nettle thrashing for me then.[blink]Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scooby Posted June 1, 2009 Share Posted June 1, 2009 LOL - Chris - I was in two minds whether Quillan was on a wind up or for real!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quillan Posted June 1, 2009 Share Posted June 1, 2009 Well the article in the DM was real, originally done by and quoted in the DM by an expat newspaper called "The French Paper" edited and owned by a chap called Michael Streeter. It was carried out on a huge, truely representative amount of 1000 expats, probably living in somewhere typically un-English like the Dordogne or Normandie [;-)] . I was wondering if he had something to do with A Place in The Sun a few years back [:D] ?Well guys (and girls) thats all the fun for today. I'm off to sink a few beers in my special part of France as its back to the cooking tomorrow. Any tips on boiling eggs gratefully accepted [;-)] . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris pp Posted June 1, 2009 Share Posted June 1, 2009 Errr, I think that there is water involved somewhere in the process, not sure what else you do.[;-)]Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mint Posted June 1, 2009 Share Posted June 1, 2009 Eggs must be at room temperature. Bring to boil then turn off heat, make sure lid on saucepan. Then you leave on for 5 mins for soft and 7 mins for hard.Anyway, that's how I do it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Russethouse Posted June 1, 2009 Share Posted June 1, 2009 Put a room temperature egg in boiling (or fast simmer) water for 5 mins....... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NormanH Posted June 2, 2009 Share Posted June 2, 2009 [quote user="Renaud"]"your lack of stringency has been exposed in the spelling mistakes"Now I know what is important in life.[/quote]I am glad that you have learned something for once. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NormanH Posted June 2, 2009 Share Posted June 2, 2009 [quote user="ebaynut"][quote user="NormanH"].............more importantly on your professional website, which is a ridiculous catastrophe.[/quote]OK, if Jons website is a "ridiculous catastrophe" please show us yours so we can compare, and see what a truly great website is like."Put up or shut up", I believe is the term you use![/quote] Why would I have a website?I'm not selling anything!and neither am I using the Forum as unpaid advertising......... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Will Posted June 2, 2009 Share Posted June 2, 2009 JonIf you want an answer to the original question, rather than all the other rubbish that is flying about, then no, not entirely.The forum was established as a part of Living France magazine, when that was still an independent publishing venture. It, along with French Property News and France magazine, became part of Archant Life a few years ago. The Living France forum along with the forum run as part of France magazine were then combined and brought into the standard Archant website system (FPN never had a forum on its site).If you want my opinion on the rest of the discussions (you probably don't but I will offer it anyway) then I believe too many people have moved from Britain to France (and several other places) with the impression, given by certain parts of the media, that France operates the same as Britain, but everything is better and cheaper. By the time they find out that it's not like that, it is often too late. The fact that France is different doesn't make it bad - an important job of forums like this is to point out the differences so that people avoid the expensive mistakes. If some choose to see that as being negative, or anti-French, that's their problem.I agree totally with Chris pp that the vast majority of users of this forum do not really understand the French and why France is like it is. That's obvious from the comments here, even if some are claimed to be made in jest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cat Posted June 2, 2009 Share Posted June 2, 2009 [quote user="Will"]... I agree totally with Chris pp that the vast majority of users of this forum do not really understand the French and why France is like it is. That's obvious from the comments here...[/quote]Couldn't agree more Will. But that's only natural, not everyone has the same level of experience here, and even those that have been here for years must sometimes wonder if they will ever really understand the French . I can see them sometimes, in my mind's eye, shaking their heads , raising their eyebrows, going "whaaaaaat??? [:-))] I find myself doing it all the time, and I live with one of 'em ( but then I'm not always certain that I truly understand the British either).The forum isn't called Expert France, it's not a competition to prove who is the wisest or most integrated, it'd be a pretty boring place if it were. It's just somewhere to seek advice, somewhere for those thinking of moving to France, or those already here but still not yet well versed in the hows and whys of France. But it's also a place to have a bit of a giggle, or even let off steam from time to time [;-)] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woolybanana Posted June 2, 2009 Share Posted June 2, 2009 Well, all that giggling is damaging my eyesight!Anyway, what is this integration and understanding thing? Are they goals, another of Blair's targets, steps to respectability? Ooooh, I have 6/10 on integration. Load of botox.Come to the forum to meet like minds and to get and give a bit. Read my blog to discover the real underlying issues, remembering that everything has two layers of meaning at least.Remember too that there are at least as many French who have left their country to find greener pastures who say exactly the same things about their adopted countries as do the good folks on this forum.Most of it just boils down to an urge to be different or to be something else; jolly worthy, but remember that it takes a lot longer to 'learn' a culture than it does the language.I am now going to put on the slow cooker then go into the garden and read. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cat Posted June 2, 2009 Share Posted June 2, 2009 [quote user="woolybanana"]... I am now going to put on the slow cooker then go into the garden and read.[/quote]Wouldn't a sunhat be more appropriate [:P] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cerise Posted June 2, 2009 Share Posted June 2, 2009 He looks very fetching in a slow cooker[:D] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quillan Posted June 2, 2009 Share Posted June 2, 2009 [quote user="Will"]I agree totally with Chris pp that the vast majority of users of this forum do not really understand the French and why France is like it is. That's obvious from the comments here, even if some are claimed to be made in jest.[/quote]But fortunately we have an expert like yourself to pop in from time to time and correct our errors.I think if you read all the other threads where Jon has contributed there is a very 'Rose coloured' view involved. Unfortunately some people don't like being told the reality of it all and consider anything to the contrary of their preconceived view as negativity.Even you must agree that claiming that by asking probably a very carefully selected group of 1000 expats in France what they think (with carefully conceived questions) France is a fantastic place with no faults is somewhat misleading and a bit of a joke even though it fits in very nicely with those who hold an extremely 'rosie' view of the place.I also think it is a bit of a cheek you saying that the 'vast majority of users of this forum do not really understand the French and why France is like it is' especially when you only 'pop in' on a very infrequent basis, pass a comment then disappear for weeks on end back to your own forum or another you contribute so frequently to. From my personal (and small experience) it would seem that understanding France completely is impossible and that even many of the French themselves don't understand it at times. I don't think there are any experts just some who know a little bit more than others possibly due to length of perminant residence and experience France warts and all. [:D] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woolybanana Posted June 2, 2009 Share Posted June 2, 2009 In psychiatry, your mind is analysed way back and forwards and it takes years, at the end of which you might have understanding but what do you do with it anyway.In psychology, you go from where you are and learn to deal with yourself and at least you can function a normal human being.The analogy might be applied here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Please sign in to comment
You will be able to leave a comment after signing in
Sign In Now