Search found 3110 matches

by francovendee
22 Mar 2024, 7:59am
Forum: The Tea Shop
Topic: Just how long will it take to turn this ship around?
Replies: 103
Views: 2927

Re: Just how long will it take to turn this ship around?

reohn2 wrote: 19 Mar 2024, 6:31pm Baroness Jones on the state of the nation and what's caused it in a 4.53minute nutshell:- https://youtu.be/AQx-jWkmWsU?si=tzypsQeMGNjZ7mtM
Sorry for the YT link, but she's spot on!
Unless you're a 'fat cat' or a zealous Union Flag waver there is nothing to disagree with in her speech.
What to do about it is the problem.
by francovendee
21 Mar 2024, 9:49am
Forum: The Tea Shop
Topic: Should the BBC be privatised?
Replies: 121
Views: 4867

Re: Should the BBC be privatised?

I have and whilst it's not as good with many repeats at least you don't get adverts every 10 minutes.
I tried to watch 'The Real Serpent' on Channel 4 but gave up due to the number of intrusive adverts. This is from a channel who were one of the better commercial channels.

These days I find more entertainment on YouTube. It has adverts but the content choice is huge, Apiary to ZZ Top. Something for all tastes.
I find a lot of the YouTube channels are done by people quite passionate about their subject and can be very entertaining presenters.

Not like terrestrial where they decide to send a celeb on a visit just because they are a celeb. The number of times you hear amazing or awesome uttered makes me want to throw a brick at the screen.
by francovendee
21 Mar 2024, 8:37am
Forum: The Tea Shop
Topic: Should the BBC be privatised?
Replies: 121
Views: 4867

Re: Should the BBC be privatised?

Looking at some of the free to air TV it seems that many of the channels show endless repeats of shows first seen elsewhere. Every 10 minutes another onslaught of advertising cuts into the programme.
The BBC does advertise its own content but between programmes and is far less annoying.

I wonder when we complain about the model of funding for the BBC it should be compared with the hidden cost in things we buy that have huge amounts spent on advertising. This must be part of what we pay as a customer.
With the ads on TV, radio, internet, papers, sports, etc. the amount spent must be enormous.

With ever more ways to advertise are companies spending more or is the cost of an ad coming down?
by francovendee
9 Mar 2024, 8:24am
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: Cycle Travel Question
Replies: 1604
Views: 210950

Re: Cycle Travel Question

That's a welcome addition to an already brilliant planning App.
I will use it but just looking at my planned ride from home to St Malo using the new option adds 87 miles. Using 'any' the distance is 180 miles and using 'routes' it is 267.
Obviously you'll have to see how this fits in with your preferences and I will use it. Richard has pointed out you can adapt the route when it doesn't suit by dragging the line so you're not forced to use it.
by francovendee
8 Mar 2024, 8:19am
Forum: The Tea Shop
Topic: Take These (Supply) Chains from My Heart
Replies: 810
Views: 44047

Re: Take These (Supply) Chains from My Heart

21 years living here in France and holidaying here for over 30 and never had food poisoning.

If you insist on eating filter feeding shellfish you're playing Russian roulette.
A good friend loves oysters and eats them regularly. he's frequently suffering from what he calls a 'gastro'.
Apart from a very few occasions I avoid all fish unless it has scales.

I also avoid posh restaurants as the food is mucked about with far more than i like. The more food is handled the greater the risk.
I seek out restaurants that aim at lunch for workers. Never been disappointed so far.

I think you need to be more selective on your choice of where to eat.
by francovendee
7 Mar 2024, 8:07am
Forum: The Tea Shop
Topic: Take These (Supply) Chains from My Heart
Replies: 810
Views: 44047

Re: Take These (Supply) Chains from My Heart

Simples, Buy chlorinated chicken from the States. I'm sure Al would buy it if the price was right. :D
by francovendee
6 Mar 2024, 8:12am
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: Cycling using trains (in UK and EU)
Replies: 589
Views: 61784

Re: Cycling using trains (in UK and EU)

If you can put up with Facebook and have a little french a lot of useful information can be found here.
It's useful to find information from the users rather than the operators website.
There is a great deal of criticism about spaces booked but no room available on the day, sometimes the spaces are filled with luggage.
It seems the majority of users think SNCF needs to do a lot more for cyclists.
www.facebook.com/groups/427864354489683 ... 0174616091
by francovendee
1 Mar 2024, 11:31am
Forum: The Tea Shop
Topic: UK Politics
Replies: 949
Views: 74409

Re: UK Politics

Certainly Galloway is a very complex and controversial person and some may say even dangerous.
I think his resounding win was a pointer that many in the country disagree with the stance Labour has on Israel and their war against the Hamas killers and the many innocent civilians killed.
I don't think it was much more than him feeling the anger from the voters in the area and using it to get elected.
Will it be different at the next GE if Starmer calls for a cease fire?
I think it would. As that's unlikely, Galloway will retain the seat.
by francovendee
29 Feb 2024, 8:15am
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: Old tourists
Replies: 16
Views: 1420

Re: Old tourists

ANTONISH wrote: 28 Feb 2024, 10:03am This year I'm planning to ride from Bordeaux to Narbonne following the canal - du - midi but mainly on roads and not much path. I'll be 83.
In my 70's I did various tours in the Pyrenees and maritime alps.
I've also ridden the Danube cycle path - v flat.
Rode the C2c Whitehaven to Tynemouth.
Did a ride Brest to Caen when I was 81.
I think if you are in relatively good health and ride at your own pace then multi day tours should be feasible - I'm quite slow so daily mileage is now necessarily limited but I've always followed Bidlake's advice that the secret to long distance cycling is staying in the saddle.
That's impressive. I'm 81 later this year, cycle most days and squeeze in around 5000 miles each year. I've abandoned the idea of long tours as although I can do 45 miles in a day I can't do it day after day. I now choose a fixed centre and do day tours from there.

My wife is undergoing cancer treatment but all being well we're planning a 250 mile ride over 5 days, using ebikes for the first time and staying in hotels in September. It won't be cheap but it's been a rotten year and something to look forward to.
by francovendee
28 Feb 2024, 8:20am
Forum: The Tea Shop
Topic: State Pension
Replies: 258
Views: 20665

Re: State Pension

rjb wrote: 25 Feb 2024, 10:55am Spare cash should not be spent but used to increase your retirement pension. We need to think carefully how we use our discretionary spending in order to fund our old age. :wink:
Fair point for the lucky ones with spare cash but any money invested is at risk and when the time comes to retire the money may not be there in quite the amount promised/predicted.
I know first hand that it can be the case. Also my brother in law lost most of his pension pot when Equitable Life crashed. Luckily he was young enough to try and build up another pension, in his case he bought a second house taking the view he was less at risk of losing the lot.
by francovendee
27 Feb 2024, 9:58am
Forum: The Tea Shop
Topic: BEVs
Replies: 2135
Views: 109843

Re: BEVs

A friend here has managed to get herself on the scheme before it was suspended. She's a low earner so qualifies but informs us it will end up costing 140€ each month without insurance. She also has to find 1000€ for installing a fast charger. It seems a great idea to encourage low income families to consider a BEV. She currently runs a 1990 Peugeot 205 that she's had since it was 1 year old. She has been so pleased with it she's buying another Peugeot. Somehow I don't think the new one will last as long.

Looking at the 'Connection' link it seems that only French makers were eligible but on the government site VW and Hyundai are also included.

To get people to switch from an IC to a BEV it's better accomplished by a carrot rather than a stick. The scheme may have been over-subscribed but a huge step in the right direction. It is planned to re- opened again next year.
Let's see the UK do something like it.
by francovendee
25 Feb 2024, 9:02am
Forum: The Tea Shop
Topic: State Pension
Replies: 258
Views: 20665

Re: State Pension

Paying for pensions, health etc. is only possible by funding from those in work paying taxes. With a low birthrate and a drive to stop immigration where will the money come from?
The younger section of the population are unable to afford a house so you can't squeeze more from them.
by francovendee
25 Feb 2024, 8:50am
Forum: The Tea Shop
Topic: UK Politics
Replies: 949
Views: 74409

Re: UK Politics

I see Lee Anderson has been suspended by the Tory Party for statements he made about Sadiq Khan on TV.

I always regarded him as a bit of a thug in the Prescott mould and wondered how he came to be deputy chairman of the Conservative Party.
by francovendee
25 Feb 2024, 8:39am
Forum: The Tea Shop
Topic: Are you "Infected by a remainer mind virus"?
Replies: 920
Views: 862616

Re: Are you "Infected by a remainer mind virus"?

Paulatic wrote: 24 Feb 2024, 6:11pm
al_yrpal wrote: 24 Feb 2024, 5:28pm

Please tell me why one country's milk isnt as good as another country's milk?
Where do I start?
In 1970, at Agricultural college, we visited West-Central France for a week looking at their agriculture. The dairy farm is still vivid in my mind. None of us had ever seen such a filthy dairy. The pipes can’t have been cleaned for weeks and the filth around the bulk tank was frightening.
I’m sure things will have improved since those days but a reminder of how things can slip without any standards to keep.
They certainly have improved and the many small, uneconomic, one man farms have been bought up by larger farms and state of the art milking parlours installed ( with the aid of government grants).

Sadly these same farms are giving up due to the low returns for their milk.
The exception being a local organic farmer who seems to be expanding his milking herd.

It saddens me to ride past these empty cow sheds. There was something quite beautiful seeing all their heads poking through the bars eating their food.

Whilst the farmers get low prices for a litre of milk it ain't cheap in the supermarkets.
by francovendee
25 Feb 2024, 8:24am
Forum: The Tea Shop
Topic: Are you "Infected by a remainer mind virus"?
Replies: 920
Views: 862616

Re: Are you "Infected by a remainer mind virus"?

PDQ Mobile wrote: 24 Feb 2024, 6:16pm
al_yrpal wrote: 24 Feb 2024, 5:28pm
What do you consider a "Common Market"?
Please tell me why one country's milk isnt as good as another country's milk? Dont we as human being deserve to be able to exercise our own personal choices? We can find out what the spec is and choose what we buy and consume. Arent we in Britain capable of deciding what is safe to make and sell? Suddenly after Brexit apparently we arent!

The truth is its all about protectionism, the EU is simply a protectionist bloc. Its hilarious to see the French railing against cheap Spanish wine! Apparently cheddar is gaining traction in Paris. Perhaps we can look forward to something like the Boston Tea Party in Calais, a block on Cheddar and Somerset Brie :lol:

Al

[Moderator note - post edited for breach of Forum Guidelines.]
Have you been though Dover recently, seen the endless lorries still bringing YOUR food to the UK?
It's pretty unbelievable.
A deep dependence.

The difference now is they all have customs stuff to negotiate- it takes time and costs us all money.

Food is significantly cheaper in France and in most of the EU.

They have electric trains that rush folk cleanly and quickly from place to place.
(The UK so behind on that one.)

The roads overall are in much better order than in the UK.
And arguably social behaviour is better too.
Certainly better than in S Wales!

Throw in the loss of freedom we personally had to move around (and settle) at will and the advantages start to look thin to negligible.

((Immigration to the UK was 700,000 last year- often from cultures very different from Europe, so that's another failure.)

And the weather's better too:-))
I don't know where you get your comparison with the cost of food UK v France but regularly spending time in both countries I know food in the French supermarkets is noticeably more expensive. Wine is much cheaper and eating out can also be cheaper though.
Twenty years ago food here was cheaper but sadly this is no longer true.