Gems again!
More gems!
Those who know me, know also my dislike of France-Telecom, which for many years is no longer the State owned telephone company, but still likes to pretend! I have as little as possible to do with them or their associates.
The mobile phone concern "Orange" is their gateway to mobile telephony, here in France, and they passed before some Judges, in court, the other day, together with a couple of Mobile-phone company-mayes, SFR and Bouygues. Imagine! These pillars of respectability had been cheating everybody for years! Mainly for "price-fixing" and "price-rigging" they were fined a total of: (READY?)
583,000,000euros - That's 583 MILLION! The bulk of the costs of investigation will, of course, be supported by the taxpayer, BUT:
The money from this fine, if ever paid, will go to the French State budget! NOT back to the clients, frauded, cheated, by the oh-so-respectable companies.
Cheated again - this time by the Government!
More cases for public flogging, without doubt!
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Gem Nr 2:
French, Gallic flair!!!! I witnessed a wonderful example of this in front of my window last night!
Hooting had alerted me to the fact that all was not well, there is always "gallic hooting" (although forbidden in towns etc) but this time it was loud and continous. I had a look, and found that one of the less likeable neighbours, had once again parked his large van so that nobody could pass.Rubbish bins were knocked over, then removed by hand, but nothing could pass. Everybody reversed out, and tried other routes.
Then, of course, the Garbage men arrived, and being local authorities employees, on the lookout for any reason not to do their job, they started hooting, cursing, flashing their special "spotlights" - nothing worked! They backed out as well, leaving the rubbish bins full!
Help came! In the form of the village "municipal" Police, who promptly put a parking ticket on the offending van, and left! 30 seconds later, the owner of the van came out, threw the "not nice to look at parking ticket" away, got in, and drove off, I thought to park elsewhere! No way! 2 minutes later, he was back, and parked EXACTLY as before! He then disappeared again!
2nd entry of the Garbage men, accompanied by the Police! 20 minutes of searching, without success, for the owner of the van (I was doubled up with mirth and the giggles all this time). The situation developed rapidly, when it was decided to put the Police car horn, with it's particularly loud and melodic tune, into the warfare front!
All that did was to force the Garbage men and 2 of the Police force, to start pushing the Police patrol car, to start it. The horn had emptied the battery!! Feeling much more secure, knowing that the Police were in charge, I retired to wipe my weeping eyes, and change my underpants, which had somehow gotten wet!
Gallic flair - life wouldn't be the same without it!!!
Those who know me, know also my dislike of France-Telecom, which for many years is no longer the State owned telephone company, but still likes to pretend! I have as little as possible to do with them or their associates.
The mobile phone concern "Orange" is their gateway to mobile telephony, here in France, and they passed before some Judges, in court, the other day, together with a couple of Mobile-phone company-mayes, SFR and Bouygues. Imagine! These pillars of respectability had been cheating everybody for years! Mainly for "price-fixing" and "price-rigging" they were fined a total of: (READY?)
583,000,000euros - That's 583 MILLION! The bulk of the costs of investigation will, of course, be supported by the taxpayer, BUT:
The money from this fine, if ever paid, will go to the French State budget! NOT back to the clients, frauded, cheated, by the oh-so-respectable companies.
Cheated again - this time by the Government!
More cases for public flogging, without doubt!
*************************** *******************************
Gem Nr 2:
French, Gallic flair!!!! I witnessed a wonderful example of this in front of my window last night!
Hooting had alerted me to the fact that all was not well, there is always "gallic hooting" (although forbidden in towns etc) but this time it was loud and continous. I had a look, and found that one of the less likeable neighbours, had once again parked his large van so that nobody could pass.Rubbish bins were knocked over, then removed by hand, but nothing could pass. Everybody reversed out, and tried other routes.
Then, of course, the Garbage men arrived, and being local authorities employees, on the lookout for any reason not to do their job, they started hooting, cursing, flashing their special "spotlights" - nothing worked! They backed out as well, leaving the rubbish bins full!
Help came! In the form of the village "municipal" Police, who promptly put a parking ticket on the offending van, and left! 30 seconds later, the owner of the van came out, threw the "not nice to look at parking ticket" away, got in, and drove off, I thought to park elsewhere! No way! 2 minutes later, he was back, and parked EXACTLY as before! He then disappeared again!
2nd entry of the Garbage men, accompanied by the Police! 20 minutes of searching, without success, for the owner of the van (I was doubled up with mirth and the giggles all this time). The situation developed rapidly, when it was decided to put the Police car horn, with it's particularly loud and melodic tune, into the warfare front!
All that did was to force the Garbage men and 2 of the Police force, to start pushing the Police patrol car, to start it. The horn had emptied the battery!! Feeling much more secure, knowing that the Police were in charge, I retired to wipe my weeping eyes, and change my underpants, which had somehow gotten wet!
Gallic flair - life wouldn't be the same without it!!!
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