That's probably not a very nice nor friendly photo to present, but somehow it sums up the total of a lot of things, over years. There used to be a thing called common sense, just simple common sense, but something went wrong.... Seems that people started working on the basis that if it was common, then nobody wanted to know, and if it was sense, then they wanted to know even less. Why, they reasoned, do things simply -when you could make them so delightfully complicated. The fact that if someone earns a million times more than somebody else then common sense states that they should pay more tax than the lesser earner, common sense could even go further, and suggest that they pay a million times more tax, and that's where the "make it more complicated" bit comes in!.....   Imagine a society where common sense permitted "bonuses" for good and successful work results, but would necessarily require penalty payments for bad and unsuccessfull work, and that is ...

Get a quote in English or in French at: *******   barriere.electricite@gmail.com   *******    

  I'm not one for loose ends, so I have to try to tie at least one up! My problem with the limpid story of the above person's adventures in the USA was not so much concerned with the actual sordid or not sordid details, but in reality with the reaction of both the Press, and a Justice System which ignored and still seems to ignore the meaning of the word justice. Logically both should be up in front of judges for their respective rôles in the sad story of the downfall of an individual. THAT would be justice, so it won't happen. The only people who really should have anything to say on the subject should logically be the two individuals concerned, truthfully - so that won't happen either, and possibly the French justice in the question of the complaint registered by a French female authoress who "just happened" to have a new publication arriving on the market right at that very moment - again truthfully - so again - that won't happen either! There is o...

 Now and then I get a publication called "Les Infos" - it's a semi-official publication giving all the new things going on in the Region of France in which I live, "Languedoc-Roussillon", and I read it! It's going back to school/college/uni/crèche time, so obviously the one or the other new things are in there this time around, and there's a remarkable story about LAPTOPS......! It seems that from this year on, all 32,000 "Lycéens" (that's roughly the secondary or grammar school standard) who are in the second year or later, have been GIVEN a laptop, free of charge, by the Department (kind of like the County Council) supposedly to help them in their studies, but generously is also allowed to be used in their "free time", and I suspect that is mainly where it will be used!  Logically, and intelligently, these laptops all come from "Dell" - a company which is based in Montpellier, Capital City of the Region, and it seems...

You just can't get fresher - still in the water.....but......how come they're cooked?

Every so often, a little magazine, free of charge of course, flatters through my letter box. It comes from the organisation called "CAF" which is a part of the French Social Services setup, and it deals mainly - almost exclusively - with Family Allowances within France. It's one of the few French Administation places that even British ex-pats consult regularly, because its main aim is to GIVE money away, and not take it, and as such, it's one of the first places everybody coming to France or coming back to France visits. It deals with all kinds of family affairs   notably financial aid for children at school, going back to school and all the rest. How much you will be accorded when the kids go back to School, to help buy pencils, paper, books, satchels and all the rest, although most of this money ends up in the hands of the Tobacco shop owners, or in the Cafés .... This is where you can "calculate" how much the French Government will pay you on a monthly b...

I don't know, it must be the drug cafes or something, and the "wacky backy" but the Dutch come up with some ideas........ the latest one is a building project, according to the German TV news......they're going to build......... MOUNTAINS......... in Holland! Like these, I suppose..... but really, they needn't bother, the AUSTRIANS are...... SELLING theirs.....! barmy world.......! And it isn't even the 1st April yet.....!

Fanatics (1) below - dealt with an agreeable subject, even if a somewhat sad one. This one, Fanatics (2) is somewhat different, it deals with something often criticised   often said to be "unwished" and "unwanted", and something which is present permanently in all of our lives, even if, like myself, you don't believe yourself to be particularly fanatical about anything! Fanatics are present everywhere....sometimes abbreviated, to make it sound different and more "friendly" as in "fans" - It rarely is "friendly" however, because the very nature of it excludes anyone who has a relatively sane state of mind. It exists in all areas of life and society, particularly in those where "faith" in something unproven or unsubstantiated is a necessity, such as ...religions, of all types. Of course fanatiscism allows the seepage of jealousy into our daily lives. Many fanatics are basically jealous, of someone - something - can't ...

...Today would have been his 65th birthday...he would finally have been ready to apply for his old age pension, but I somehow think he wouldn't have. Not because he didn't need it, but because he wasn't old enough in the mind! I was late getting to know him and the group  ....Queen, and somehow - I don't know why - I never associated the name of the group nor their antics with a gay scene. I suppose because the music was so enjoyable, and that's saying something from somebody who is more inclined towards classical and opera style music than the "popular" stuff. I think I first became aware of them through this series of concerts: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lDckgX3oU_w but it was only after reading his (Freddie Mercury) small "biography", that I was interested, and went looking and listening! I ended up with all of the CD's of both   and    the group....! A most remarkable story - from beginning to end, and the ending is probably ...

...Well - I hope not, but at least I'm starting to see a "lightening" of the colours at the end of the tunnel, after months of differing shades.. It's taken me from France to Scotland..to USA...even to Germany and Switzerland...through the murky quagmires of the dirtiest of professions, ...and bankers...and politicians....and DENTISTS....! It's pulled me through "family" resentments and little quarrels, it's taken me to all those places where other people ALWAYS know better......and - I'm STILL seeing some light coming through ...Well - I always do, and sorry though I am for those who didn't think that, if there's any profit I intend to keep it for other worthy causes. Even the fact of making an error here and there makes the experience of finally seeing light - somewhere - worth aiming for.......with care! So - who knows, maybe I'll be able to get back to doing some amusing stuff in the near future....Holidays are over, ...

I've shared most beautiful beaches  try clicking to see 'em....! Click to open: most beautiful beaches Google Docs makes it easy to create, store and share online documents, spreadsheets and presentations. These photos open normally in a large version...if they're not the right size for you, just click on the "+" or "-" signs in the top right hand corner of the page......it will adjust automatically.............