Re: Brits abroad...
 

"Iceman" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected] ups.com...
> On Aug 2, 10:57 am, Martin <[email protected]> wrote:
> > On Thu, 02 Aug 2007 12:03:49 GMT, "a.spencer3" <[email protected]>
wrote:
> >
> > >"Martin" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> > >news:[email protected].. .
> > >> On Thu, 02 Aug 2007 11:40:17 GMT, "a.spencer3"
<[email protected]>
> > >wrote:
> >
> > >> >Means some local consulates have some extra work to do which, from
what
> > >I've
> > >> >seen, makes a change.
> >
> > >> The Amsterdam Consulate have more than enough work and do a good job.
> > >> Don't confuse consulates with embassies.
> > >> --
> >
> > >I'm not.
> > >Just depends on location.
> >
> > Which locations did you have in mind?
>
>
> Embassies are in national capitals, while consulates are in cities
> other than national capitals. It has nothing to do with the size or
> importance of the city - the US has embassies in Canberra, Ottawa, and
> Brasilia and consulates in Sydney, Toronto, and Rio de Janeiro.
>

I meant the activity level of a consulate depends on location! I know
there's no embassy in Outer Wherever!

Surreyman

Re: Brits abroad...
 

"Martin" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> On Thu, 02 Aug 2007 17:04:34 GMT, "a.spencer3" <[email protected]>
wrote:
>
> >
> >"Martin" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> >news:[email protected].. .
> >> On Thu, 02 Aug 2007 12:03:49 GMT, "a.spencer3"
<[email protected]>
> >wrote:
> >>
> >> >
> >> >"Martin" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> >> >news:[email protected].. .
> >> >> On Thu, 02 Aug 2007 11:40:17 GMT, "a.spencer3"
> ><[email protected]>
> >> >wrote:
> >> >>
> >> >> >Means some local consulates have some extra work to do which, from
> >what
> >> >I've
> >> >> >seen, makes a change.
> >> >>
> >> >> The Amsterdam Consulate have more than enough work and do a good
job.
> >> >> Don't confuse consulates with embassies.
> >> >> --
> >> >
> >> >I'm not.
> >> >Just depends on location.
> >>
> >> Which locations did you have in mind?
> >> --
> >
> >Non-tourist, (tourist areas do inevitably give 'em something to do
> >occasionally
>
> That's just rubbish, they are busy all the time.
>
> >).
> >They are often career diplomats (as opposed to 'Honorary' etc.).
> >Often, also, being in cities other than the capital, and away from the
> >Embassy, they can lead a very pleasant life .......
>
> Consuls in remoter quiet parts of the world often do the job free and have
> another full time occupation.
> --

I know - I mentioned 'Honorary'.

Surreyman

Re: Brits abroad...
 

"Martin" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> On Thu, 02 Aug 2007 14:52:36 GMT, "a.spencer3" <[email protected]>
wrote:
>
> >
> >"Martin" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> >news:[email protected].. .
> >> On Thu, 2 Aug 2007 15:16:10 +0100, [email protected] (David Horne,
_the_
> >> chancellor (*)) wrote:
> >>
> >> >Martin <[email protected]> wrote:
> >> >
> >> >> On Thu, 2 Aug 2007 13:37:31 +0100, [email protected] (David Horne)
> >wrote:
> >> >[]
> >> >> >My high school art teacher used to say that the rose was a perfect
> >> >> >emblem for the labour party- attractive, expensive, and with
thorns!
> >:)
> >> >>
> >> >> and the tree is the perfect Tory emblem, shake it and rotten apples
> >fall
> >> >> out of it?
> >> >
> >> >Never heard that one,
> >>
> >> I just created it.
> >>
> >> > but to tell the truth, I think I'd have to rack my
> >> >brain to think what it was! :)
> >> >
> >> >Now I do turn my attention to it, I thought it was a torch?
> >>
> >> The current one is a green blob representing a tree.
> >>
>
>http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/.../post_391.html
> >> --
> >>
> >
> >That's just this week's.
>
> Last September's?
> --

Well, it'll probably change in a week then, like the manifesto.

Surreyman

Re: Brits abroad...
 

"Martin" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> On Thu, 2 Aug 2007 17:00:38 +0100, [email protected] (David Horne, _the_
> chancellor (*)) wrote:
>
> >Martin <[email protected]> wrote:
> >
> >> On Thu, 2 Aug 2007 16:43:58 +0100, [email protected] (David Horne,
_the_
> >> chancellor (*)) wrote:
> >>
> >> >JohnT <[email protected]> wrote:
> >> >
> >> >> "The Reid" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> >> >> news:[email protected]...
> >> >> > Following up to [email protected] (David Horne, _the_ chancellor
> >> >> > (*)) wrote:
> >> >> >
> >> >> >>> The current one is a green blob representing a tree.
> >> >> >>
> >> >> >>My goodness you're right- pathetic.
> >> >> >
> >> >> > Lib Dem is?
> >> >>
> >> >>
> >> >> A picture of the telephone box where they hold their Party
Conference.
> >> >> Or so said Ian Hislop on HIGNFY several years ago.
> >> >
> >> >They don't poll so much less in general elections. Last one- Labour
> >> >35.3%, Conservative 32.3%, LibDem 22.1%. Hardly enough to say their
vote
> >> >is irrelevant.
> >>
> >> 35.5% represented 22% of the electorate
> >
> >Yes, which means in electorate % terms, the LibDems were closer! :)
>
> It means that they represent an insignificant number. Time for
proportional
> representation.
> --

With BNP holding a balance of power?

Surreyman

Re: Brits abroad...
 

On Thu, 02 Aug 2007 17:32:44 GMT, "a.spencer3" <[email protected]> wrote:

>
>"Martin" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>news:[email protected].. .
>> On Thu, 02 Aug 2007 17:04:34 GMT, "a.spencer3" <[email protected]>
>wrote:
>>
>> >
>> >"Martin" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>> >news:[email protected].. .
>> >> On Thu, 02 Aug 2007 12:03:49 GMT, "a.spencer3"
><[email protected]>
>> >wrote:
>> >>
>> >> >
>> >> >"Martin" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>> >> >news:[email protected].. .
>> >> >> On Thu, 02 Aug 2007 11:40:17 GMT, "a.spencer3"
>> ><[email protected]>
>> >> >wrote:
>> >> >>
>> >> >> >Means some local consulates have some extra work to do which, from
>> >what
>> >> >I've
>> >> >> >seen, makes a change.
>> >> >>
>> >> >> The Amsterdam Consulate have more than enough work and do a good
>job.
>> >> >> Don't confuse consulates with embassies.
>> >> >> --
>> >> >
>> >> >I'm not.
>> >> >Just depends on location.
>> >>
>> >> Which locations did you have in mind?
>> >> --
>> >
>> >Non-tourist, (tourist areas do inevitably give 'em something to do
>> >occasionally
>>
>> That's just rubbish, they are busy all the time.
>>
>> >).
>> >They are often career diplomats (as opposed to 'Honorary' etc.).
>> >Often, also, being in cities other than the capital, and away from the
>> >Embassy, they can lead a very pleasant life .......
>>
>> Consuls in remoter quiet parts of the world often do the job free and have
>> another full time occupation.
>> --
>
>I know - I mentioned 'Honorary'.

So where are the consuls you talk about? Do you have a specific place in mind?
--

Martin

Re: Brits abroad...
 

On Thu, 02 Aug 2007 17:33:37 GMT, "a.spencer3" <[email protected]> wrote:

>
>"Martin" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>news:[email protected].. .

>> >> The current one is a green blob representing a tree.
>> >>
>>
>>http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/.../post_391.html
>> >> --
>> >>
>> >
>> >That's just this week's.
>>
>> Last September's?
>> --
>
>Well, it'll probably change in a week then, like the manifesto.

and the leader of the opposition, again.
--

Martin

Re: Brits abroad...
 

On Thu, 02 Aug 2007 17:37:39 GMT, "a.spencer3" <[email protected]> wrote:

>
>"Martin" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>news:[email protected].. .
>> On Thu, 2 Aug 2007 17:00:38 +0100, [email protected] (David Horne, _the_
>> chancellor (*)) wrote:
>>
>> >Martin <[email protected]> wrote:
>> >
>> >> On Thu, 2 Aug 2007 16:43:58 +0100, [email protected] (David Horne,
>_the_
>> >> chancellor (*)) wrote:
>> >>
>> >> >JohnT <[email protected]> wrote:
>> >> >
>> >> >> "The Reid" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>> >> >> news:[email protected]...
>> >> >> > Following up to [email protected] (David Horne, _the_ chancellor
>> >> >> > (*)) wrote:
>> >> >> >
>> >> >> >>> The current one is a green blob representing a tree.
>> >> >> >>
>> >> >> >>My goodness you're right- pathetic.
>> >> >> >
>> >> >> > Lib Dem is?
>> >> >>
>> >> >>
>> >> >> A picture of the telephone box where they hold their Party
>Conference.
>> >> >> Or so said Ian Hislop on HIGNFY several years ago.
>> >> >
>> >> >They don't poll so much less in general elections. Last one- Labour
>> >> >35.3%, Conservative 32.3%, LibDem 22.1%. Hardly enough to say their
>vote
>> >> >is irrelevant.
>> >>
>> >> 35.5% represented 22% of the electorate
>> >
>> >Yes, which means in electorate % terms, the LibDems were closer! :)
>>
>> It means that they represent an insignificant number. Time for
>proportional
>> representation.

>With BNP holding a balance of power?

Bloody banks are taking over the world.
--

Martin

Re: Brits abroad...
 

tim..... <[email protected]> wrote:

> "David Horne, _the_ chancellor (*)" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:1i28548.a3ts6ds4kxskN%[email protected]...
[]
> > A brit came up to me at Barcelona airport once, trying to pull a scam.
> > That is, he said he needed X more euro for his flight home...
>
> I got stopped by a begger yesterday (in the UK).
> He asked if I could "spare a penny". I really don't think
> he expected that level of contribution.

Give him one next time! :)

--
(*) ... of the royal duchy of city south and deansgate
http://www.davidhorne.net - real address on website
"Abominable, loyal, blind, apparently subservient."
Pres. Carter on Ex-Pres. Blair- May, 2007

Re: Brits abroad...
 

"Martin" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> On Thu, 02 Aug 2007 17:32:44 GMT, "a.spencer3" <[email protected]>
wrote:
>
> >
> >"Martin" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> >news:[email protected].. .
> >> On Thu, 02 Aug 2007 17:04:34 GMT, "a.spencer3"
<[email protected]>
> >wrote:
> >>
> >> >
> >> >"Martin" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> >> >news:[email protected].. .
> >> >> On Thu, 02 Aug 2007 12:03:49 GMT, "a.spencer3"
> ><[email protected]>
> >> >wrote:
> >> >>
> >> >> >
> >> >> >"Martin" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> >> >> >news:[email protected].. .
> >> >> >> On Thu, 02 Aug 2007 11:40:17 GMT, "a.spencer3"
> >> ><[email protected]>
> >> >> >wrote:
> >> >> >>
> >> >> >> >Means some local consulates have some extra work to do which,
from
> >> >what
> >> >> >I've
> >> >> >> >seen, makes a change.
> >> >> >>
> >> >> >> The Amsterdam Consulate have more than enough work and do a good
> >job.
> >> >> >> Don't confuse consulates with embassies.
> >> >> >> --
> >> >> >
> >> >> >I'm not.
> >> >> >Just depends on location.
> >> >>
> >> >> Which locations did you have in mind?
> >> >> --
> >> >
> >> >Non-tourist, (tourist areas do inevitably give 'em something to do
> >> >occasionally
> >>
> >> That's just rubbish, they are busy all the time.
> >>
> >> >).
> >> >They are often career diplomats (as opposed to 'Honorary' etc.).
> >> >Often, also, being in cities other than the capital, and away from the
> >> >Embassy, they can lead a very pleasant life .......
> >>
> >> Consuls in remoter quiet parts of the world often do the job free and
have
> >> another full time occupation.
> >> --
> >
> >I know - I mentioned 'Honorary'.
>
> So where are the consuls you talk about? Do you have a specific place in
mind?
> --

I've just come across numerous consulates (and embassies) in M/E and
Africa - usually visits with friends rather than needing! - invites to
parties, whatever - and realised that it can be a rather 'relaxed' life.
But. also, too introvert and too bloody false, boring and repetitive for me!

Surreyman

Re: Brits abroad...
 

On Thu, 02 Aug 2007 17:57:18 GMT, "a.spencer3" <[email protected]> wrote:

>
>"Martin" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>news:[email protected].. .
>> On Thu, 02 Aug 2007 17:32:44 GMT, "a.spencer3" <[email protected]>
>wrote:
>>
>> >
>> >"Martin" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>> >news:[email protected].. .
>> >> On Thu, 02 Aug 2007 17:04:34 GMT, "a.spencer3"
><[email protected]>
>> >wrote:
>> >>
>> >> >
>> >> >"Martin" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>> >> >news:[email protected].. .
>> >> >> On Thu, 02 Aug 2007 12:03:49 GMT, "a.spencer3"
>> ><[email protected]>
>> >> >wrote:
>> >> >>
>> >> >> >
>> >> >> >"Martin" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>> >> >> >news:[email protected].. .
>> >> >> >> On Thu, 02 Aug 2007 11:40:17 GMT, "a.spencer3"
>> >> ><[email protected]>
>> >> >> >wrote:
>> >> >> >>
>> >> >> >> >Means some local consulates have some extra work to do which,
>from
>> >> >what
>> >> >> >I've
>> >> >> >> >seen, makes a change.
>> >> >> >>
>> >> >> >> The Amsterdam Consulate have more than enough work and do a good
>> >job.
>> >> >> >> Don't confuse consulates with embassies.
>> >> >> >> --
>> >> >> >
>> >> >> >I'm not.
>> >> >> >Just depends on location.
>> >> >>
>> >> >> Which locations did you have in mind?
>> >> >> --
>> >> >
>> >> >Non-tourist, (tourist areas do inevitably give 'em something to do
>> >> >occasionally
>> >>
>> >> That's just rubbish, they are busy all the time.
>> >>
>> >> >).
>> >> >They are often career diplomats (as opposed to 'Honorary' etc.).
>> >> >Often, also, being in cities other than the capital, and away from the
>> >> >Embassy, they can lead a very pleasant life .......
>> >>
>> >> Consuls in remoter quiet parts of the world often do the job free and
>have
>> >> another full time occupation.
>> >> --
>> >
>> >I know - I mentioned 'Honorary'.
>>
>> So where are the consuls you talk about? Do you have a specific place in
>mind?
>> --
>
>I've just come across numerous consulates (and embassies) in M/E and
>Africa - usually visits with friends rather than needing! - invites to
>parties, whatever - and realised that it can be a rather 'relaxed' life.
>But. also, too introvert and too bloody false, boring and repetitive for me!

Embassies are for parties and consulates are for work in the modern world
--

Martin

Re: Brits abroad...
 

"Martin" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> On Thu, 02 Aug 2007 08:13:40 -0700, Iceman <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>>On Aug 2, 10:57 am, Martin <[email protected]> wrote:
>>> On Thu, 02 Aug 2007 12:03:49 GMT, "a.spencer3" <[email protected]>
>>> wrote:
>>>
>>> >"Martin" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>>> >news:[email protected].. .
>>> >> On Thu, 02 Aug 2007 11:40:17 GMT, "a.spencer3"
>>> >> <[email protected]>
>>> >wrote:
>>>
>>> >> >Means some local consulates have some extra work to do which, from
>>> >> >what
>>> >I've
>>> >> >seen, makes a change.
>>>
>>> >> The Amsterdam Consulate have more than enough work and do a good job.
>>> >> Don't confuse consulates with embassies.
>>> >> --
>>>
>>> >I'm not.
>>> >Just depends on location.
>>>
>>> Which locations did you have in mind?
>>
>>
>>Embassies are in national capitals, while consulates are in cities
>>other than national capitals. It has nothing to do with the size or
>>importance of the city - the US has embassies in Canberra, Ottawa, and
>>Brasilia and consulates in Sydney, Toronto, and Rio de Janeiro.
>
> Which has nothing to do with the question I asked.
>
> In NL the British Consulate is for normal people, it looks after
> passports,
> registering births marriages and deaths and repatriating drunks and drug
> addicts
> both living and dead, etc.

The reality is that most full consulates are money making rackets busy
selling exorbitantly priced visas to tourists.

--
William Black


I've seen things you people wouldn't believe.
Barbeques on fire by the chalets past the castle headland
I watched the gift shops glitter in the darkness off the Newborough gate
All these moments will be lost in time, like icecream on the beach
Time for tea.

Re: Brits abroad...
 

"Martin" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> On Thu, 02 Aug 2007 12:26:09 GMT, "William Black"
> <[email protected]>
> wrote:
>
>>
>>"David Horne" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>>news:1i27xja.az9do9wxnwbwN%[email protected]. ..
>>> Martin <[email protected]> wrote:
>>>
>>>> On Thu, 2 Aug 2007 12:26:23 +0100, [email protected] (David Horne)
>>>> wrote:
>>>>
>>>> >http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6926569.stm
>>>> >
>>>> >"The "massive influx" of UK stag and hen parties to Prague has made
>>>> >the
>>>> >Czech Republic a hotspot for British travellers in trouble, figures
>>>> >suggest.
>>>> >
>>>> >A Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) report says Britons visiting
>>>> >the
>>>> >Czech Republic need a "disproportionate" amount of consular
>>>> >assistance."
>>>>
>>>> but the young female staff love it?
>>>
>>> I found this a bit hard to believe:
>>>
>>> "Foreign Office research last year suggested 24% of people on stag and
>>> hen parties faced problems abroad."
>>
>>I'll bet their way of counting them is odd.
>>
>>I'll be prepared to bet that they divide the number of stag parties by the
>>number of drunks arrested.
>>
>>Promptly forgetting that if a whole party gets run in then it's twenty or
>>thirty people but only one party...
>>
>>You've got to watch the diplos.
>>
>>They do resent having to do the work they are so royally paid for.
>
> Are your comments the result of a bitter experience?

I once asked for trade advice from a British diplomatic mission.

The reply I got convinced me that you're better off with a dial-up Internet
connection, a decent search engine and a cheap but crooked lawyer...

The reply essentially said that not only were they not going to help me but
that I should have known better than to bother them in the first place with
such a trivial matter and didn't I know that they were busy people, and
besides, while it wasn't against the rules to help me, they were still
very busy and they all had far better things to do with their time than aid
international trade

I even tried to register with the local consulate when I was resident in
India for several months, as advised by their web page, and they didn't
even acknowledge the message, although the London end did when I e-mailed
them and asked if ignoring UK Citizens living abroad who have a large and
noisy political riot going on just outside their flat was government
policy...


--
William Black


I've seen things you people wouldn't believe.
Barbeques on fire by the chalets past the castle headland
I watched the gift shops glitter in the darkness off the Newborough gate
All these moments will be lost in time, like icecream on the beach
Time for tea.

Re: Brits abroad...
 

"Martin" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...

> Consuls in remoter quiet parts of the world often do the job free and have
> another full time occupation.

My experience of honorary consuls, especially Dutch ones, is that they're
charming and efficient and really nice people to deal with, mainly because
they're not diplomats...

--
William Black


I've seen things you people wouldn't believe.
Barbeques on fire by the chalets past the castle headland
I watched the gift shops glitter in the darkness off the Newborough gate
All these moments will be lost in time, like icecream on the beach
Time for tea.

Re: Brits abroad...
 

The Reid <[email protected]> wrote:

> Following up to [email protected] (David Horne, _the_ chancellor
> (*)) wrote:
>
> >> Binter are the stasndard inter island operators, the standard way of
> >> connecting the islands. Who the f*** else would you fly with?
> >
> >Don't fly between the islands, silly. They're still a low-cost operator.
>
> dont be stupid. "Low cost operators" undercut the established
> airlines, thats not Binter.

Low-cost operators are just that, and that's what Binter have become.
You may not have noticed, but Ryanair et al often don't have any
competition with "normal" operators. Not because they have undercut
them, but because they never _flew_ those routes. Many airlines on
short-haul routes have had no choice but to change their operating
model, either through direct competition, or that's what the market is.

> They are the only operator. How else do
> you fly to islands without direct dlights.

Take a boat?

> >> what sort of a question is that?
> >
> >Just answer it.
>
> I did, youre being rather silly here.

You're the one telling yourself that Monarch isn't a low-cost airline.

> >> Its the national carrier, sure they
> >> have lowered standards because of the low costs. Is that my fault?
> >
> >No- but be realistic about what they are, and that you are flying with
> >them.
>
> *You* be realistic, ask anybody if is Iberia is one of the "low cost
> operators".

They may as well be, on their short-haul routes.

> >> >> Monarch and BA do the route, BA were threatening a strike, what would
> >> >> you suggest, a private jet? We actually had tickets with both!
> >> >
> >> >Lots of airlines fly to Tenerife.
> >>
> >> Do they. Certainly not when we were booked.
> >
> >Rubbish.
>
> you are talking complete nonsense, Monarch was the only replacement
> direct flight.

There are lots of flights from London to Tenerife on different airlines.
You're wrong.

> >> Basically your talking total bolox on this one.
> >
> >I'm not.
>
> you are.

Er, no. Check the flight schedules.

--
(*) ... of the royal duchy of city south and deansgate
http://www.davidhorne.net - real address on website
"Abominable, loyal, blind, apparently subservient."
Pres. Carter on Ex-Pres. Blair- May, 2007

Re: Brits abroad...
 

>> Consuls in remoter quiet parts of the world often do
>> the job free and have another full time occupation.
> So where are the consuls you talk about? Do you have
> a specific place in mind?

Read Malcolm Lowry's "Under the Volcano". (The "other
occupation" being drinking yourself to death, which I
imagine is still one of the more popular ones).

============== j-c ====== @ ====== purr . demon . co . uk =============Jack Campin: 11 Third St, Newtongrange EH22 4PU, Scotland | tel 0131 660 4760
<http://www.purr.demon.co.uk/jack/> for CD-ROMs and free | fax 0870 0554 975
stuff: Scottish music, food intolerance, & Mac logic fonts | mob 07800 739 557