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Ken
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Posts posted by Ken
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Personally I have never quite understood, or sympathised, with those who have come to live in France and subsequently found it too expensive. Now I may 'be a goody two shoes' but my wife and I factored in as many things that could go wrong as those that could be a success. Even down to such things as expenditure on magazines and other 'small' outlay. When we came, for example, the exchange rate was 1.56 to the pound but we understood that it could well change, and not for the better!! In other words we prepared for a bad scenario rather than with our heads in the clouds.
Having thought of the worst possible things that could happen we then had a choice, could we afford it or not! I like to think we got it spot on. We did have capitol from a sale of a house, savings and a decent pension; that helped!!! Had we not then then it is likely we wouldn't have made the transition, and that was 22 years ago.
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I do appreciate the Incredible effort it will take to accomplish the goal of Fusion energy, if indeed it can! Yes I know on a small scale, using more energy than it produced, it has been accomplished and it only took 30 years!! The Manhattan project, by comparison was easy! They only had to split the atom not control it. A nuclear explosion isn't too complicated actually.
I am annoyed at the delays to new power stations but suspect it is as much political as technical. I don't believe in throwing good money away after bad! I see alternatives as the 'bad' money that is wasted. The cost of wind and solar is very high and doesn't deliver all the is required and isn't as green as the zealots make out. The cost of nuclear is all very high but does deliver; that's the real difference.
The Moroccan article was, for me, just another example of 'pie in the sky' green wishful thinking and again not deliverable, if at all, for another eight years. We do, more or less agree on the subject but I simply cannot go down the road of 'alternative power supply'. Dithering over power stations that have proven to work, to do the job and we have schemes like running an electric cable from Africa to Britain, it sounds like a joke I'm afraid.
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2 hours ago, Martin963 said:
Oh don't get me wrong Ken, I agree with you. A reliable power generation national network is vital, and like you I suspect that politicians simply don't "get" how much work is needed to produce a kW, let alone a MW or a GW. I hope I've emphasised that I invested in our system almost entirely for selfishly financial reasons.
Batteries used on a national scale could perhaps help to shape the demand ups and downs, but as you imply they are a fat lot of good in a long period of winter anti-cyclonic murk. And yes the recycling aspect of Lithium batteries worries me (what do they do with computer laptop batteries, because AIUI a house battery is just a scaled up version of that...?)
Fusion is the answer, but it's remained tantalisingly out of reach for the whole of my lifetime. Thorium fission might be a runner, but again to date it all seems to be promises of "soon" rather than a working reactor. That's why I said we need the best brains to work on the system. Personally I think a world "Manhattan" project would be a boon for humanity, but we don't have a world leader of sufficient stature to bring it all together.
@ anotherbanana - no, I don't know whether it's possible in France to have a house battery. Of course you get a lot more sun than we do in Devon!
There are answers, depending on your point of view! I really am a simple person and don't deal in what may be! I live in today! Batteries, bio, windmills etc. they don't, and cannot deliver what we need. The Manhattan project! well we should know what that produced!!! Somewhat different to todays needs. Fusion maybe the answer but we live in today, not tomorrow! Nuclear , total and all consuming is the answer, in my view, everything else is fantasy! Give me evidence and factual substance and I can agree , but just. whimsical speculation I can't go along with.
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2 hours ago, Martin963 said:
I don't know if you read my post Ken, but certainly I think there is SOME validity in the idea of using storage batteries (not necessarily electric car batteries) to smooth out demand. Suppose ten million homes could have batteries installed (let's come back to how the cost would be borne), that's half the homes in Britain. If each of them were normally demanding 1 kW between 17.00 and 20.00 and the fact that they each now had a battery that had charged up earlier in the day, meaning that they were self-sufficent during those hours, we would at a stroke be removing 10 million x 1000 W from the national demand. That is 10 million kW, or 10 gigawatts. Demand in Britain at its evening peak is about 40 GW and at its lowest during the night is about 25 GW. So - and this is not even with the batteries discharging to the grid at peak times, merely powering the houses that have them - the new peak evening demand would be only a little higher than the night time minimum demand, a huge improvement to the current situation, meaning that inefficient and polluting power stations might not be needed to fill in the bumps in consumption.
Now it's a whole different discussion as to how this could be financed or achieved, but the point I'm trying to make is that it is technically feasible. Others on here have mentioned the improvements that we may - I repeat may - see in battery technology; I'm not expecting any breakthroughs, but capacity and efficiency are gradually improving, and although costs are up at the moment it might be expected that once the post pandemic supply problems die down the costs may again start sliding, albeit gradually.
I hasten to add that I'm a great believer in countries becoming energy-self-secure, we only have to look East to see what a mess we've got ourselves into. But there are all sorts of things we can do, including sensible use of batteries, and we should be encouraging the best brains to work on these things as a matter of urgency. Yes we need new power stations, but we can also do sensible and reasonable things to smooth out demand. What we certainly shouldn't be doing is allowing Green zealots, many of them who seem to be anything but honourable - bouncing non-scientific politicians into costly inefficient knee-jerk reactions.
Yes, I did read your post and excellent it was too but , isn't there always a but? Patently the power needed to run a country isn't going to come from batteries. I understand completely that, off peak electricity, batteries, windmills and crossed fingers all contribute to the grid and some people even appear to get a small rebate! The fact does remain that all of the alternatives only contribute a fraction of what is needed as a continuous and reliable supply.
You mention cost but don't mention what to do with all these batteries at life end, please don't say recycle them! The cost of all of this 'green agenda' is beyond incredible! Each new and 'helpful' alternative is just adding to cost and unreliability. I'm afraid I'm a committed nuclear supporter and if their were enough stations so called green alternatives, with all of their cost and production problems simply wouldn't be needed. I do , also understand, despite 'being old' (not your words) that research and innovation should be carried out but not to the detriment of a constant and reliable source of energy i.e. nuclear and that is what is happening. Individuals are generating power and all power to their elbow but obviously it isn't viable on a grand scale. A country needs something a lot more than batteries and off peak electricity I'm afraid.
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1 hour ago, alittlebitfrench said:
Croydon ?
Croydon!!! Well that place has definitely changed if you can get a decent meal and a good wine!!!!!!!!
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15 hours ago, alittlebitfrench said:
And here we go again.
Glad I did not book a romantic weekend in Paris for Valentines day.
What do tourists think of Paris ?.
The city of Love ?
Any violent protests in the UK today ?
You have to think of it as an adventure! Just where else can you go for a wonderful terraced meal, excellent wine and view of the Eiffel Tower and get gassed? I wonder how many of those evacuating the smoke filled restaurants paid their bill by the way!!!!!
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14 hours ago, Teapot1 said:
It is doubtful going forward that lithium will feature in stationary batteries. That was Tesla's eary stuff, now they are using LFP and home storage is likely to be a different chemistry again. For those that think the UK plan is shabby and cheap, I hope France doesn't plan a wonderful new power station in your back yard! Yes we need a mix of both going forward but reducing the number and the cost and the impact can only be a good thing.
I wonder if I am almost alone in thinking that this car battery feeding into the national grid idea is beyond ridiculous. To my mind it is the thoughts of a child fantasising without any real thought as to how or even if it can be accomplished. It seems any idea, no matter how stupid, is jumped on by gullible people wanting a 'miracle'! There are countless ideas out there ranging through 'windmills, bio fuels, solar, tidal schemes and many others none of which go anywhere near solving the energy crisis. Grid supply from cars is the latest ridiculous idea and which, incidentally, no one has said where the electricity will come from in the first place to charge all the car batteries!!.
France is being dragged back into nuclear because it is the only clean and reliable source of energy available. We don't see the 'bogyman,' propaganda anymore about how bad nuclear is because even politicians can now see that pandering to the 'eco-warriors' is going to bring disaster. Nuclear is the only way in my view and I strongly suspect Germany regrets going down the knee jerk route of shutting them down. European countries are returning to the fold i.e; Nuclear. The sooner it is done the better.
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I also read the article and couldn't help but feel it is 'pie in there sky' nonsense. The crux of the matter is that there won't be enough electricity in the future (there barely is now!!) All the windmills and solar panels simply cannot supply enough, particularly at peak periods. The Government will, I feel sure, have to reign back on this 'green' agenda as it is getting more preposterous by the day. What next, cycle dynamo's contributing to the grid!!
France is going back into nuclear, Finland has just completed a new nuclear plant and is building another and I wouldn't mind betting Germany returns to nuclear. For me nuclear is the only answer. I can just see some irate motorist wanting to go for a ride only to find out the grid has nicked his electricity!!
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8 hours ago, Harnser said:
Having had experience of steel conduit wiring when I was an apprentice doing six months with the factory electricians in the UK many years ago, I wouldn't use it if plastic conduit is an alternative.
Without going into the finer details, you will have to cut to length and thread every piece of conduit to screw into the bushes which you fit into the socket boxes. That means that every threaded end will be covered in cutting paste - like a grease- from the threading which will have to be cleaned off.
EG - https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/324293014745?hash=item4b815eb4d9:g:SXQAAOSwGMVfXJuS
and a pipe vise to hold the pipe while you are threading it.
https://www.ridgid.com/us/en/portable-chain-yoke-vises
And turning the threading die is really hard work.
You have to ensure that all burrs and internal sharp edges are removed so that when the wiring is pulled through the insulation doesn't get damaged on any sharp edges.
https://www.grainger.com/product/GENERAL-Pipe-Reamer-3ZG95
I guess you are getting the picture now - don't use steel conduit in a domestic installation.
Ah! Those were the days! Don't forget the pipe former (can't remember its name!) for bending the pipework around corners and adjusting levels. Yep, use plastic, it's a doddle!
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On 07/02/2022 at 12:49, Harnser said:
You have to admit that Pecresse suddenly emerging from obscurity to becoming a presidential candidate is more than a little suspicious.
Hubby is a globalist - You dont get to be vice-president of a GE company without being a globalist.
GE Renewable Energy
France plays a major role for GE Renewable Energy: it hosts the global headquarters of GE Renewable Energy and three of its divisions: GE Hydro, GE Grid Solutions and GE Offshore Wind. GE Renewable Energy also has six main industrial sites in France, including a new wind turbine blade factory, which opened in Cherbourg in 2019. It is in France that GE builds the Haliade-X, the most powerful offshore wind turbine in the world, whose blades of 107 meters are the longest ever built in the industry.
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"I Doubt that once the lights start going out any politician will stick with the 'green' alternative"
Switzerland is sticking with greeness and warning that the lights might go out.
https://lenews.ch/2021/10/18/swiss-president-warns-nation-to-prepare-for-electricity-shortages/
It is interesting that the polls show that in the first round of voting Le Pen would come second to Macron taking her through to the final round which she would lose.
The same poll put Pecresse, if she were able to get to the final round, in a much closer fight than Le Pen, just 8 points behind Macron. On the day, if they were that close ; who knows who would win.
Unfortunately, because of this two round nonsense it is most likely Le Pen will be in the second round. Another term for Jupiter I'm afraid!!
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It would seem that Macron has, after talking to Biden, sold the Ukraine down the drain! The press report that it seems likely the Ukraine will be forced to adopt an agreement made in 2015 which, in effect, gives Putin all that he wants. That Macron has done this without consulting the rest of NATO is scandalous and stinks to high heaven. It may be true that he and Biden agreed on this, on the other hand maybe that isn't the case and therefore the stink gets worse!
Britain isn't complicit and I doubt the other NATO nations are though German interests in a settlement are paramount. My guess is that France, Germany and the USA have thrown the Ukraine to the wolves. The USA, which essentially is NATO, has made Macron the stalking horse. He, of course, is looking for the plaudits and it suits the USA and particularly Germany to allow this egomaniac to claim he has accomplished peace. What a stinking world politics is!
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2 hours ago, Lehaut said:
Watched Munich on Sunday night. Gives a cold chill down the spin seeing Macron coming back waving a (metaphorical) piece of paper.
He would look rather ridiculous should (when?) Russia invades the Ukraine. Putin has probably played Macron like a violin! Macron, so full of self importance , believes he has accomplished something but Putin is no ones poodle!
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19 hours ago, Harnser said:
You have to admit that Pecresse suddenly emerging from obscurity to becoming a presidential candidate is more than a little suspicious.
Hubby is a globalist - You dont get to be vice-president of a GE company without being a globalist.
GE Renewable Energy
France plays a major role for GE Renewable Energy: it hosts the global headquarters of GE Renewable Energy and three of its divisions: GE Hydro, GE Grid Solutions and GE Offshore Wind. GE Renewable Energy also has six main industrial sites in France, including a new wind turbine blade factory, which opened in Cherbourg in 2019. It is in France that GE builds the Haliade-X, the most powerful offshore wind turbine in the world, whose blades of 107 meters are the longest ever built in the industry.
And-
"I Doubt that once the lights start going out any politician will stick with the 'green' alternative"
Switzerland is sticking with greeness and warning that the lights might go out.
https://lenews.ch/2021/10/18/swiss-president-warns-nation-to-prepare-for-electricity-shortages/
I still doubt the politicians will stick to their green credentials once the lights do start going out, even Swiss politicians! Switzerland is sticking to 'Green polices' at least for the moment. The country imports over half its electricity and is in the process of shutting its nuclear capacity. It is the reducing of that importation which may cause electricity cutouts. It seems extremely unlikely that Switzerland will be able to make up the shortfall by windmills and solar. Unless Germany and the others in the EU who supply Switzerland can carry on doing so, despite their own shortages, then almost certainly Switzerland will suffer. Once the lights go out......! Switzerland has been extremely lethargic regarding power; simply relying on others to a greater degree than most. Politicians will have to adjust just as Germany id doing with more coal fired power stations, Green policies obviously come second when the crunch comes.
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25 minutes ago, Harnser said:
Unfortunately, Macron seems to be the best way forward for France.
Pecresse to my mind could be a Trojan horse for the renewable power lobby.
Why? Here's why - https://www.ge.com/renewableenergy/about-us/meet-our-executives
Macron wants to progress the building of new nuclear power stations to replace those which are nearing the end of their lives. This is the only practical way to ensure future energy security for France IMHO.
Renewables are a dead end if you want reliable power. Windmills don't cut it when the wind doesn't blow, solar is useless at night. Ok have a few of those just to keep the green blob onside, but the real hard work gets done by the nukes.
I suppose my thoughts are coloured by Macron's behaviour towards the U.K. though I don't necessarily agree that Macron is the best hope for France. I agree completely about nuclear, I too believe it is the only way, not only for France but for all countries. I Doubt that once the lights start going out any politician will stick with the 'green' alternative. I would prefer Pecresse or even Zemmour to Macron in all honesty.
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11 hours ago, alittlebitfrench said:
74 % of France want Macron out.
Yet...he is going to win.
Work that one out kids.
I agree completely. The only hope is that Zemmour and Le Pen take equal votes in the first round and allow Pecresse into the second. The voting system in France, I think is the problem, not so much the people.
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Have just read that Macron believes he will be able to negotiate with Putin and stave off the invasion of the Ukraine. Either the man is incredibly dim or in the pocket of the Russians that he can think such a thing. Is he so arrogant as to be that stupid? He has really put it on the line this time. Will the French people see it, I doubt it. Politics and French public just doesn't seem to go together. They don't seem to live in the real world!! On verra bien!
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There will certainly be those 'ex-pats' who die here; and be buried, cremated or whatever; I shall be one of them!! But ;generally I do believe the vast majority go back before that unfortunate time arrives!.
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18 hours ago, alittlebitfrench said:
France is a graveyard for Brits.....there is no doubt about that.
Failed dreams and all that.
But I often wonder where they get buried.
UK or France ? ?
Fortunately there are relatively few Brits in this part of the world. I don't know of any. Hope it remains so!! As for failed dreams; not convinced that is true. My impression of so called ex-pats is that very few have decided they will live their lives to the end in France, they might pretend that's the case but many seem to go back when old age beckons and they don't feel secure, usually making the need for contact with grandchildren etc. the excuse! That's probably why you are wondering where they are buried; there aren't any buried in France; they have all gone back to die!!!
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15 hours ago, anotherbanana said:
It looks as if French foreign policy in the Sahel region is crumbling as its former(?) colonies assert themselves; the French ambassador to Mali has been expelled and there are rumours that others in the area are sick of the French such as Chad and Niger.
Their military presence there has been largely confined to trying to reduce/control/ eradicate Boko Harem’s extreme Islamist influence, backed as they are by Gulf States money.
The French have lost a good few troops and have withdrawn a good few. They are being replaced by Russian mercenaries who will not only prop up the latest group of colonels who overthrew the last President, but will also take on Boko Haram, rather less gently one feels. And, of course, spread the good word about the Russia!
Yet another problem for Macron.
I would have to research if other countries are helping the French out in Africa but I know the British are with helicopters and supplies. Not that Macron would emphasise that of course! As for the Russian trying to discredit British diplomacy, A Russian for heavens sake!!! Britain has never had friends who would go the 100% for it. Unlike Britain which has gone all the way several times throughout history for Europe. Fortunately countries like Australia, New Zealand and Canada have gone the whole way, and more to help us; even the USA is a better friend than Europe. Why Britain tolerates European politicians is beyond me.
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As long as it remains in the present format I will do it. If it becomes something else then I won't! One word a day is fine by the way, otherwise you could sit in front of the computer for hours, not a good thing.
We shall see!
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'You are correct in that we do not know the physical health of the individual whose death the judge described as 'suicide'. But what does that matter ? '
I think the health of the person is of the utmost importance. If he was suffering from a serious illness for example then having a vaccination could possibly kill him. If he knew that and was heavily insured then a suicide verdict is, I believe, reasonable. The article was scant on facts of the case, nothing really just a 'sensational' piece of journalism, if true at all. Lots of emotive words!
I don't agree we are 'more or less' being forced to be vaccinated and neither has the state 'more or less' mandated everyone takes an experimental drug. The choice is very much each persons own. No one is forcing anyone to do anything and I think it wrong to say, or at least intimate they are. There is so much misinformation surrounding vaccination and it doesn't help when people can be swayed by 'accusations' that the various governments are doing things they are not.
I have had all three vaccinations and would have a fourth, fifth and so on if necessary. I believe in the right to refuse a vaccination; that's anyone's choice. I also strongly believe that those who refuse to be vaccinated respect my choice. The vast majority have been vaccinated and it must follow that any restrictions that may be put in place apply to those who are not vaccinated. The object of the whole program is to protect people from the effects of this virus.
As for an experimental drug: All drugs for any disease had to start out this way. History has shown that some were a tragedy but the vast majority have been a tremendous success. Given the billions vaccinated against Covid the results, so far, have been hugely successful. There are side effects in any drug including Aspirin!!
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I read the case of the Frenchman who the court say committed suicide. There is as much not said as said! The most important being what was his state of health before being vaccinated? That the insurance company refused to pay out could certainly be because of the clause about experimental drugs, insurance companies are notorious when it comes too 'clauses'. My view though is that this man probably had problems which weren't reported in the article and probably did commit suicide, we will never know; but It is quite a co-incidence that he was insured for millions then dies as a result of being vaccinated!
There are people around the world who have died or are suffering from the effects of being vaccinated but the consensus very much is that without the vaccination program the death toll would have been incredibly higher. I too believe that people should have a choice to be vaccinated or not but I also believe I have a choice whether or not I mix with those I believe put me at risk. Fortunately governments see it that way too and so there are restrictions for those refusing to be vaccinated. Having a choice works both ways!!
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It really is a difficult question. I have had three jabs so obviously I believe in it. I also believe that people should be able to say no! They're in lies the rub! I don't want to mix with people who, in my view, could be risking my health because of their views. It's an insoluable problem. Would anyone condemn members of their own family to the risk of dying because they refused the vaccination and were refused medical care ? It would take a very hard person to do so.
Yesterday was holocaust day when certain sections of the community were remembered for what the Germans did to them by singling them out because of their beliefs. Should these people who refuse to be vaccinated because of their beliefs also be discarded and there are many of them ? I don't think so. Somewhat different I know, those who died in the camps were not threatening the rest of the people but anti-vaxers are. The principle though I feel is the same. Either we treat all people regardless of their beliefs the same or we descend one again into saying let certain people die! I don't know what the solution is but once you start down the road of people making decisions on a mass scale of who lives or dies it is difficult to control.
I wonder if Doctor Hirsch, when he is treating a patient, is thinking about anything other than trying to save life? I hope not!!!
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7 hours ago, anotherbanana said:
Haha, no Ken, we have an ‘open bowl’ policy here, I just top it up as needed. He has never been greedy or obsessive about food though cheese does make him very interested indeed.
By the time you get up and top it up it must be stale!!! I'm sure he would prefer that you get up and feed him at 5.3O!!!!! Just what is the world coming to that cats and dogs don't come first?
95% of French people don't exercise!
in The Complete France Post Bag
Posted
On the news this morning I heard that 95%of French people don't exercise. Down here it must be the other 5% who do!! Everyone here, so it seems, is either riding a bike in the mountains or running/ walking in them! What did interest me more was that even with this lack of exercise obesity or being fat wasn't mentioned.
I know obesity is on the increase in France but I thought it refreshing that lack of exercise wasn't connected to it. Often, and incorrectly, lack of exercise is blamed for being fat. Being fat has little or no connection with exercise, other than making exercise more difficult!! But it's amazing how many people believe otherwise.
Only one way to become fat and if people haven't 'twigged' it they must be truly dim! But back to the 95%! If that figure is anywhere near accurate then it is a ticking time bomb in terms of the nations future health. Almost certainly unfit people will tend to be overweight but that is because they eat too much not because they don't exercise. A combination of being overweight and unfit is a recipe for an early death, one that can be avoided or at least mitigated.