Just Katie Posted March 19, 2006 Share Posted March 19, 2006 I know you are/were a teacher because it says on your website you silly old goat!! And I'm thrilled you are not impressed with my humour. If you were, our humour would be the same and that would be the last thing I would want. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dick Smith Posted March 19, 2006 Share Posted March 19, 2006 Ho ho ho.What a contribution you have made - whoever you are. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Katie Posted March 19, 2006 Share Posted March 19, 2006 Night Night Pretty Dick. See you tomorrow [|-)] X Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dick Smith Posted March 19, 2006 Share Posted March 19, 2006 Now who's talking down... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tresco Posted March 20, 2006 Share Posted March 20, 2006 [IMG]http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i76/twinm/yikes.jpg[/IMG]I like the new people, and I also like the old people, but I'm out of here, and I'm taking my opinion with me! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SaligoBay Posted March 20, 2006 Share Posted March 20, 2006 [quote user="KathyC"]Yes, of course I think my views are sane, why would I hold views that I think insane? I thought Jond's analysis was thoughtful and backed up by supporting evidence,which is more than can be said for many of the knee jerk (or should I say "wallet jerk") reactions that are exressed here.What many people appear to be complaing about is that France seems to have systems in place to protect people from exploitation. One's views on this are, naturally, going to be coloured by whether one sees oneself as an exploiter or an exploitee (if such a word exists).[/quote]KathyC, if you want to say something, why not just say it?What is all this stuff about people (presumably anyone who doesn't agree with you) being hell-bent on exploitation? Tu éxagères!You appear to have a chip on your shoulder, something about rich Brits, maybe? Do you see us all as nasty capitalists against the super socialist French state or something. The bad news is that if you can afford to move from Britain to France, you're no different. [:D] Or no, worse....... you're surely not going to go down the "the French are SO non-materialistic" line, that French people are so very happy with so very little? [;)] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
le bouffon Posted March 20, 2006 Share Posted March 20, 2006 Hey Russie,I live here in France and my second house is 200m round the corner,and when I have finished it,it will be for rent,but as not a gite.There is a different between living here and having a holiday home as holiday homes tend to stick together and rely on the other brits to provide servives for them and so the area looks like it is being over run by les rosbifs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Val_2 Posted March 20, 2006 Share Posted March 20, 2006 And don't they just love to stab each other in the back when they fall out? I have never seen so much backstabbing and gossip as with a group of "older" brit folks when we first came here, they just sort of came out of the woodwork and landed on us and all they did was moan about each other. I can tell you I was very glad when most cleared off back to the UK eventually and left us in peace with those who wanted to make their lives here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dick Smith Posted March 20, 2006 Share Posted March 20, 2006 Talk about stereotyping! We only know 2 Brits here, and one of them is Will the Conq!No, Buffoon, I don't expect to have everything done for me, and I don't cluster with anybody, and I don't do backstabbing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Katie Posted March 20, 2006 Share Posted March 20, 2006 [quote user="Dicksmith"] and I don't cluster with anybody, [/quote] MORNING!!! Who on earth would want to cluster with you??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Viv Posted March 20, 2006 Share Posted March 20, 2006 [quote user="SaligoBay"][quote user="viva"] I don't think France has such aspirations any more.[/quote]You are kidding, aren't you?Haven't you noticed that the news is followed by the DOM-TOM news? These far-flung places are regarded as part of France. They're colonies by any other name. Funny how Britain isn't allowed any, but France is?And what about Chirac's posturing a month or so ago, about keeping up France's nuclear force because France is such an important international presence? [/quote]Also the UK still seems to feel it has to play the role of a super power rather than a country that globally has had its day, I don't think France has such aspirations any more. You split my sentence ![;)] I was really aiming to say that France selects what conflicts it does / does not get entangled in a little more carefully than the UK, the UK seems to commit far more in the way of troops pro rata to its size than many other countries at great cost to the taxpayer as well as the servicemen. France hasn't seen the need to match the UK in this respect. Probably some wag will now bring up WWII . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LaBucherie Posted March 20, 2006 Share Posted March 20, 2006 Ty Korrigan wrote:[quote] May I ask how the French define 'poverty'..? Because the U.K version seems rather 'Rich' to me...[/quote]I believe that the official definition of poverty is based on a proportion of the average wage. Therefore the richer the "average" family is, the more families fall below the poverty level. To me, the figures seem to show that the average wage in UK is higher than that in France. I thought that was well known anyway.I recently heard someone on television define poverty as "not having enough money to do what you wanted"! RegardsDavid Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SaligoBay Posted March 20, 2006 Share Posted March 20, 2006 [quote user="KatieKopyKat"][quote user="Dicksmith"] and I don't cluster with anybody, [/quote] MORNING!!! Who on earth would want to cluster with you???[/quote]I object! Mr Smith seems perfectly clusterable to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
le bouffon Posted March 20, 2006 Share Posted March 20, 2006 Steady on dicky,I feel I may "warm" to you, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Riff-Raff Element Posted March 20, 2006 Share Posted March 20, 2006 [quote user="LaBucherie"]I believe that the official definitionof poverty is based on a proportion of the average wage. Therefore thericher the "average" family is, the more families fall below thepoverty level. To me, the figures seem to show that the average wage inUK is higher than that in France. I thought that was well known anyway.[/quote]Given that the GDPs and populations or France and the UK are the muchthe same, I would hazard that the average wages are not disimilar -anyone know for sure? In any case, cost of living tends to followaverage income, so gains on the swings can quite easily be erroded onthe roundabouts.Definition of poverty varies from nation to nation (well it would, wouldn't it), but UNICEF define poverty as being: "households with incomes below 50% of the national median income"On this basis, they give child poverty figures of:France 7.5%UK 15.4%US 21.9%Therefore the richer the "average" family is, the more families fall below the poverty level.Not so. Norway has the highest per capita GDP in the world (I think)and a staggeringly high wages, yet manages to have child povery ratesthat are very low (3.4%). Norway (and other Scandinavian / Nordiccoutries) have been described as having economies based on theprinciple of "wealfare capitalism" - I have to say they seem to bedoing rather well on it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deimos Posted March 20, 2006 Share Posted March 20, 2006 I agree that the “average income” has little to do with the numbers of people in the “poverty band”. It must be more to do with the distribution of incomes rather than the actual amounts. Thus for example, if everybody earnt £10000 (nobody higher, nobody lower) then nobody in the poverty band. However, if half the population earnt £10000 and the other half £1000 then despite the “average income” dropping, half the population is now in the poverty band. It’s got to be related to the number of people at different salaries rather than the salaries themselves.I am not familiar with the French support system for low income, the unemployed, etc. so cannot make UK/French comparisons but I do this the UK is becoming less and less of a “caring society”. Seems to be continually cutting back help here and there to save money. Only today the news contains an item about proposed cut backs in care for the elderly “… But it is claimed that the proposals would also sharply reduce the number of patients eligible for free NHS continuing care.”.Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dick Smith Posted March 20, 2006 Share Posted March 20, 2006 " I agree that the “average income” has little to do with the numbers of people in the “poverty band”. It must be more to do with the distribution of incomes rather than the actual amounts." You are correct. That's why they specify those below the median income, ie the point halfway between the richest and the poorest, not the mean (average). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
le bouffon Posted March 20, 2006 Share Posted March 20, 2006 I wondered how long it would be before someone brought up the UK,that aside average income does not take into account state hand outs,so all the averages are not a true base on which to interprite household income which at the end of the day is what each household as to spend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Posted March 20, 2006 Share Posted March 20, 2006 The office where I work in London is overrun with clever French people. I'm sure I would have made assistant chief by now if it hadn't been for them. Most of them seem to live in SW London and even have their own magazines, websites and forums.http://www.marchealondres.com/. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saddie Posted March 20, 2006 Share Posted March 20, 2006 I am sure that I read (and equally sure that I shall be corrected if I have imagined it) that the nation whose ex pats (I hate that expression) are in greatest numbers in France are the Portugese. Also there are more Germans than british living here. Can anyone verify the facts. As for France being overun with brits there are 600,000 on the costa brava alone! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TWINKLE Posted March 20, 2006 Share Posted March 20, 2006 "You are correct. That's why they specify those below the median income, ie the point halfway between the richest and the poorest, not the mean (average)."My God, Dick! Are you this exciting in bed?[:S] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Renaud Posted March 20, 2006 Share Posted March 20, 2006 Now I belatedly understand what trolls and glove puppets are – should there not be a term for an individual using three identities. Bouffon, KatieKopyKat and Twinkle all seem to speak with one voice. The same one as Outcast and Mr Opas? The relentlessly get-personal posts are unpleasant. --- I would like to say how much I applaud Viva’s first post on this interesting thread. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Russethouse Posted March 20, 2006 Share Posted March 20, 2006 [quote] "You are correct. That's why they specify those below the median income, ie the point halfway between the richest and the poorest, not the mean (average)."My God, Dick! Are you this exciting in bed?[:S][/quote] Mod hat on - That is quite far enough on the personal post front, you may think it vastly amusing, however others do not. Please respect ALL the other members of the forum, some of which may not share your sense of humour nor the hi jacking of discussions . We all enjoy a little levity from time to time, please just choose your moment more carefully Mod hat off Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bixy Posted March 20, 2006 Share Posted March 20, 2006 [quote user="le bouffon"]I wondered how long it would be before someone brought up the UK,that aside average income does not take into account state hand outs,so all the averages are not a true base on which to interprite household income which at the end of the day is what each household as to spend.[/quote]Is this English? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clair Posted March 20, 2006 Share Posted March 20, 2006 [quote user="viva"]Oh I would rather have Thatcher back than suffer any more of Blair and his crew.[/quote]This is where we part company Viva.As a foreigner in Britain during the Thatcher years, I felt like a 2nd class citizen, was told several times that I should go bug*er off back to France, that I was a bloody French scrounger, that I was paying less tax than a Brit (I was earning £19 a week at the time!)...I remember where I was when she left and I remember how I rejoiced! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.