Posted by: Letters to Editor in Uncategorised on
Jan 29, 2009
President Sarkozy is cutting back on the public sector and in the light of the recent financial crisis, Gordon Brown is too. This similar attitude in France and in Britain ignores some elementary worries.
Firstly, unless there is room for them in the private sector, cutting back on civil servants isn’t going to save anyone money. As we’re not going
Posted by: Letters to Editor in Uncategorised on
Jan 28, 2009
It is a pity that the only topics you suggest for Anglo-German discussion relate either directly or indirectly to the Nazi past and thus help to perpetuate atavistic stereotypes.
Whilst the Nazi era cannot be forgotten or glossed over (statements, such as that attributed to the rightist politician Franz Josef Strauss, to the effect that an
Posted by: Letters to Editor in Uncategorised on
Jan 27, 2009
Privacy seems to be a two-edged sword in France.
If a photograph is taken and published anywhere in the media without your permission, you have the right to sue for invasion of privacy.
If you buy a portable telephone you expect that to be privy to you and those persons to whom you give the number - yes? But NO!
It seems that the service-provider,
Posted by: Letters to Editor in Uncategorised on
Jan 27, 2009
A couple of years ago you ran a story about a con man cadging money at the airport. I think it was a well-presented guy who asked for a couple of hundred euros for a taxi. Last week I was caught at the airport by a character who sold me some story about not having euros for changing his ticket because he had missed his plane to Newcastle the
Posted by: Letters to Editor in Uncategorised on
Jan 26, 2009
If Mayor Christian Estrosi has “a deep concern for the city’s present and future” (issue 129, pg 6), can he do something about the loud prostitutes and transvestites who gather near Lenval Hospital on weekend nights around 3 a.m.? I don’t care what they do but I don’t want to hear them fighting and screaming at each other, keeping whole buildings
Posted by: Letters to Editor in Uncategorised on
Jan 25, 2009
I have shared the same experience as Julie Davies and Martin Granger when trying to renew my passport from abroad and I totally endorse their comments in your October/November issue. My telephone call to Abtran cost me even more, namely €12.80 – the man I spoke to didn’t seem to be in a hurry to give me the information required (no wonder, I was
Posted by: Letters to Editor in Uncategorised on
Jan 25, 2009
As at the 24th. of July 2009, I will have been working and paying french taxes for 10 years, I am 67 years old and I would very much like to retire but I am finding it extremely difficult to find out exactly what my pension and other benefits would be. I am not in the best of health and enjoy 100% on my my "Carte Vitale". I also receive my English
Posted by: Letters to Editor in Uncategorised on
Jan 25, 2009
There’s been too much rapid reaction among expats to the fall in sterling and the over pessimistic predictions of the doom and gloomers. British expats in Euroland shouldn’t panic about their sterling income which has obviously overshot on the down side. It’s rising again already and the Euro will soon be taking a hit which will bring the exchange
Posted by: Letters to Editor in Uncategorised on
Jan 25, 2009
It's not clear whether Dirk Bogarde or Patrick Middleton referred to A Bridge Too Far as a "rather lowbrow film" (issue 130, pg 28). No matter. The film, directed by Lord Richard Attenborough was released in 1977, the year that George Lucas unleashed the Star Wars franchise, thus virtually obliterating any epic movie in its vicinity, even one
Posted by: Letters to Editor in Uncategorised on
Jan 25, 2009
Taking the A8 autoroute at night has become almost impossible if all you have with you is folding money. Many of the “péages” aren’t manned by real people at night so the only payment options are bank card or coins. If you have neither, you’re stuck at the barrier. James Goddard,
Posted by: Letters to Editor in Uncategorised on
Jan 24, 2009
Recently I have been subjected to some cheating by a shop assistant and on the autoroute péage. At Forville Market (Cannes) some vendors try to give you change for a lower denomination note ie: 10 euros when you have given 20, usually quick to say Oh, sorry etc. We love Frence and Forville Market but there are too many cheats. Shame!. Mike
Posted by: MikeP in Uncategorised on
Jan 10, 2009
This information may be of use.
If you receive a text message on your French cellphone asking you to call back an 0899 number it is a scam - you almost certainly know that!
Usually the message will be something like :
"Vous avez gagne le Lotto ........."
"Bisou j'attends toujours ton appel ....."
"Quelqu'un que tu as rencontre veut
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