Monthly Archives: April 2009

The postcode lottery

5
Tuesday, April 28, 2009

From one type of lottery to another – no this has nothing to do with the level of childcare nor hospital facilities (thankfully) but er… postcodes. While I accept that being abroad, and expecting to be able to carry on as if I still lived in the UK is somewhat of a high expectation, but [...]


A good reason to play the lottery

5
Saturday, April 18, 2009

This, unfortunately, is now a subject very close to my heart – which is now not beating quite the way it should without medication. I have just completed my third year as a ‘liberal professional’ in France, and while I thought I had things well under control, the French accountancy system coupled with the fall [...]


The truth behind Obama’s welcome

6
Saturday, April 4, 2009

I couldn’t help but laugh at the TV coverage of Obama’s arrival, which was hailed as a ‘rapturous welcome by the crowds at Palais Rohan’. The semantics of ‘crowd’ would lead you to believe that these individuals applauding the glorious president, were in some way representative of the common people of Strasbourg, of course nothing [...]


Teargas for kids?

4
Saturday, April 4, 2009

A neighbour told me that this morning’s tear-gassing of protesters in and around the Contades Parc was, as far as he could see, total over-reaction by the security forces. And living in an apartment that overlooks the park he was well placed to see events unfold. The most telling event of the morning being that [...]


NATO update

0
Friday, April 3, 2009

Our road has now been closed – and there are cops either end. Low flying ‘heli-choopers’ going over.


Road closures

2
Friday, April 3, 2009

Just a quick update on the NATO debacle – it seems the security services have decided to close access to all roads north of the central island. So we’ve just been told that if we want to get from Contades to Les Halles – we will have to do so – via Etoile / Porte [...]