# Where's Ray Nipper?



## erneboy (Feb 8, 2007)

Anybody know?

It's not like him to go missing. Perhaps he's off in his van and I missed that he was going, Alan.


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## Jamsieboy (Jan 14, 2011)

Alan
I seem to recall he said he was going away on holiday I think.


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## erneboy (Feb 8, 2007)

Oh good. Ta Jamsie. I was worried in case he'd jumped off a high bridge or something, you never can tell with these grumpy old people.


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## cabby (May 14, 2005)

I am sure you will upset him if he thinks that you consider him an old person.

cabby


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## Stanner (Aug 17, 2006)

How can be old?

He's only a nipper.


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## barryd (May 9, 2008)

Ray!!!!!

Wake up!!!!!

Its ok. I know where he lives. Ill just do a new thread about visiting the Cherbourg Peninsula (Which I love) and raiding his wine cellar and that should reel him back in.


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## nicholsong (May 26, 2009)

erneboy said:


> Anybody know?
> 
> It's not like him to go missing. Perhaps he's off in his van and I missed that he was going, Alan.


Alan

Have you been trying to contact Ray by PM?

I have been trying to do PM with 'cabby' and it has failed - to the point that he has posted on a thread that I am ignoring him - no way.

I have just sent him a post on the forum plus my e-mail address. At the same time I reported the problem to Jeff at VS, with a very IRATE message, since I just renewed my sub.

Geoff


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## erneboy (Feb 8, 2007)

No Geoff. I just noticed he was missing and wondered where he was and if all was OK round his parts, Alan.


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## HermanHymer (Dec 5, 2008)

barryd said:


> Its ok. I know where he lives. Ill just do a new thread about visiting the Cherbourg Peninsula (Which I love) and raiding his wine cellar and that should reel him back in.


Barry, if you have designs on becoming a rosbif you ought to know its called the Cotentin, pronounced Coh-ton-tan.


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

erneboy said:


> No Geoff. I just noticed he was missing and wondered where he was and if all was OK round his parts, Alan.


> > He'll be glad to know you're interested in his "parts" Alan > >


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## erneboy (Feb 8, 2007)

Quite right Kev, I was definitely concerned to know that everything was OK up his end.


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

erneboy said:


> Quite right Kev, I was definitely concerned to know that everything was OK up his end.


Tut tut, silly boy :kiss:


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

Well guys an Galls, I am touched. 
No great mystery but nice to know many of you noticed I have been AWOL.

It's all the fault of the French phone companies. I keep and pay for two lines as security just in case with two different suppliers, Orange and sfr. 
I was having problems with the Orange line the last 6 or 7 weeks but on April 27th. both lines were cut off. I was online at the time and immediately noticed the loss of connections.
I drove up the road and found some Line techs (monkeys) fiddling with wires 500m. from the house. I asked how long I would be off and got some garbled reply about temporary repairs. So took some pics with dates. 

I have made 20+ calls to both Orange and sfr via the mobile but although they both make appointments, few are kept and none listens to my explanation of where and when the lines were cut.
They often call back and suggest I reboot my modem. I end up screaming at em that the line is cut. But no, they have to follow their routine for idiots.

Today, 29 days since the lines were cut, two somewhat more helpful line techs arrived and after lots of going back and forth found one spare and intact line that they have reinstated sfr and my internet.
But I'm not out of the woods yet as the main multi core cable feeding a hundred houses needs replacing and I'm sure I will suffer more disconnections later.

Now someone is gonna suggest some compensation? Yeah, tried that and sfr magnanimously agreed to waive the charge for the period of down time.

French after sales and customer satisfaction just does not exist here.

Ray.


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## nicholsong (May 26, 2009)

Ray

Maybe the private sector of workers are peed off that they did not get public sector jobs and pensions.

I agree it sounds like bad service.

However, Basia's Sister who lives in Turkey and returned from here, after 2 week visit, to find that because of no electricity for 5 days the tiler was unable to cut the floor tiles to lay in the kitchen and that all the furniture was still in the garden - that in addition to not having internet. 

Poland generally works well for utilities; we get occasional electricity breaks - probably for a re-connection or summat, but usually for max. 2 hours. We have gone mobile only for calls, although we have a Broadband landline for internet, with wifi router for basement offices and the flat upstairs and have continuous service. Skype for calls outside the EU (inside EU, calls on/to mobile and landlines are free for £27 p.m anywhere in Europe)

Tell the French that the 'Hundred Years War' is only on hold and can be resurrected - anyway they did not complain when we landed in Normandy last time.

Geoff


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## Penquin (Oct 15, 2007)

"French after sales and customer satisfaction just does not exist here."

VERY true, the whole concept is alien t their thought process and bureaucratic blinkers.......

Sorry to hear you are having trouble - we have a spare line just flapping by our telephone pole, the last but three owners had two lines, one got cut (literally) and is still there..... but who cares? Certainly not the line provider.....

Dave


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## androidGB (May 26, 2005)

Are you going to Le Mans this year Ray?

Sadly this year Eurosport will have to do for me.


Andrew


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

No Andrew.
I have started attending my wife's birthdays now. Annoyingly she holds them the same weekend as LM.
Plus things have moved on and the social calendar gets really busy in June.

Ray.


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

This is the standard of workmanship. You can see my lines dangling. 

Ray.


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## barryd (May 9, 2008)

Not dead!!! 

Next time Ray get a directional wifi antenna and lob it out your window and pick up someones SFR Fon. Assuming they are not cut off as well.


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## Glandwr (Jun 12, 2006)

It's commonly accepted that the UK has the lowest productivity in northern Europe. We are told that the french worker produces 30% more per hour than a Brit. You have obviously got the wrong ones there Ray :laugh:


Dick


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## cabby (May 14, 2005)

Sorry have to disagree with you on that figure. Why do you think that Toyota and Nissan have factories over here, plus a few more companies. They find we are the most reliable and productive workforce.


cabby

Good to have you back Ray.00


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## mgdavid (Nov 27, 2014)

Glandwr said:


> It's commonly accepted that the UK has the lowest productivity in northern Europe. We are told that the french worker produces 30% more per hour than a Brit. You have obviously got the wrong ones there Ray :laugh:
> Dick


Neither common nor accepted; also wrong. Who tells you such rubbish? Pray, do tell...


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## Glandwr (Jun 12, 2006)

mgdavid said:


> Neither common nor accepted; also wrong. Who tells you such rubbish? Pray, do tell...


The Bank of England

Dick


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## mgdavid (Nov 27, 2014)

Glandwr said:


> The Bank of England
> 
> Dick


Ah, bankers, must be right then...


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## Glandwr (Jun 12, 2006)

mgdavid said:


> Ah, bankers, must be right then...


It's in a PDF doc downladable from the BOE site. I can't post it but if you Google "UK productivity puzzle bank of england" you can read it for yourself.
If you will trust an account see below. Bragging up our recovery has been a huge fraud perpetuated by the Tories.
https://fullfact.org/factcheck/econ...less_productive_than_germans_and_french-39822
Dick


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## barryd (May 9, 2008)

Glandwr said:


> It's commonly accepted that the UK has the lowest productivity in northern Europe. We are told that the french worker produces 30% more per hour than a Brit. You have obviously got the wrong ones there Ray :laugh:
> 
> Dick


That cannot be true surely! Ive seen the French at work. They turn up in the morning for a couple of hours then take 3 hours off to have Lunch and probably Make Lurve. The shops are only open for about 2 hours everyday. Mind you I agree with them. I only work about 10 days a year now.


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## Glandwr (Jun 12, 2006)

Have a read Barry. I know the constant message we have been getting is our economy thanks to GO booming and France under the horrid little socialist is a basket case. But it's not as simple as that. Did you know that French growth last quarter out stripped ours.

Dick


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

barryd said:


> Not dead!!!
> 
> Next time Ray get a directional wifi antenna and lob it out your window and pick up someones SFR Fon. Assuming they are not cut off as well.


Y'know Barry I never thought of that. Mainly cos the two neighbours who do have Wi-Fi and allow me to log onto it, one is in a new wooden building with brilliant aluminium insulation which limits the signal and the other an old house with 3ft. walls again I can only detect at their front door.

I was starting to think about asking if I could use a "Home-Plug" from their routers and running a long extension cable to my barn and a Wi-Fi extender from there that I could access.

But then the cavalry arrived.
I have been taking my small Netbook either to neighbours or the Mairie to get mail. But outside you can't see the screen in daylight so didn't manage accessing anything else.

Ray.


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## eurajohn (May 9, 2005)

*Why?*

Why is it some people (normally the same biased few) attempt to turn almost any thread, in a way to spout anti party political nonsense.
Not pointed at any particular poster or party but the left side do seem to do it the most.

This particular thread was started because of concern a member had having not seen another normally active member, I've no problem with the straying off topic but I do get sick of the "get a dig in at any cost" behaviour of some.

If they wish to have such items discussed, start a new thread with the appropriate title and then I and I'm sure many more will be able to ignore the vitriol easily, or more appropriate go find a site catering for such views.

.


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## salomon (Apr 20, 2011)

barryd said:


> That cannot be true surely! Ive seen the French at work. They turn up in the morning for a couple of hours then take 3 hours off to have Lunch and probably Make Lurve. The shops are only open for about 2 hours everyday. Mind you I agree with them. I only work about 10 days a year now.


You are almist right. They do the " cinq a sept "...5 til 7. Which is when the men slip off to see their mistresses, returning to the office afterwards. And they do actually do this. I would often catch my former boss skipping up the steps with a huge grin on his face. " 5 à 7 Michel ? "....." Ah ouuuuiiiiii..".


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## erneboy (Feb 8, 2007)

Ah John hang on a minute. Look who started it. It was my old mate Ray. I don't know if you're aware of where Ray stands politically but he'd have made Atilla The Hun look like a bleeding heart liberal, Alan.


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## barryd (May 9, 2008)

erneboy said:


> Ah John hang on a minute. Look who started it. It was my old mate Ray. I don't know if you're aware of where Ray stands politically but he'd have made Atilla The Hun look like a bleeding heart liberal, Alan.


Guffaw!!


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## nicholsong (May 26, 2009)

Salomon wrote

"And they do actually do this"

Always 'the others' eh?:wink2::laugh:


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## salomon (Apr 20, 2011)

nicholsong said:


> Salomon wrote
> 
> "And they do actually do this"
> 
> Always 'the others' eh?:wink2::laugh:


Well it doesnt quite work the other way round . I am female ! :smile2:


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## eurajohn (May 9, 2005)

erneboy said:


> Ah John hang on a minute. Look who started it. It was my old mate Ray. I don't know if you're aware of where Ray stands politically but he'd have made Atilla The Hun look like a bleeding heart liberal, Alan.


 Alan, I see where you are coming from, although I do believe Ray was sounding off regarding French customer care or indeed the total lack of it, rather than making a political or otherwise remark.

Don't see anything wrong with his views anyway mine are slightly to the right of Atilla :wink2:

I suppose what I picked up on was the theme in one of the replies


> "Bragging up our recovery has been a huge fraud perpetuated by the Tories".


.


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

Atilla must have had some good points. Even Hitler can't have been all bad. He liked his dog.

Anyway, French after sales and client care I find personally non existent.
Once you have parted with the cash you are history. The only way to get at any sub-contractor is to find what 'Routier' they have lunch in and drill holes in their tyres. That gets their attention.

I have just asked my hearing aid shop where I paid €950 8 years ago, if they would adjust and fit another pair of aids to me. Begrudgingly after several aborted appointments they said €350. Blooming robbers.

But against all this I and others have found the average 'Artisan' worker here, like plumbers, roofers and decorators so hard working they would put your average UK worker to shame. 

Ray.


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## mgdavid (Nov 27, 2014)

Glandwr said:


> Have a read Barry. I know the constant message we have been getting is our economy thanks to GO booming and France under the horrid little socialist is a basket case. But it's not as simple as that. Did you know that French growth last quarter out stripped ours.
> Dick


there is a simple explanation - if you can understand how the OECD 'productivity' stats are composed. It is based around the number of people employed. In this country we have very low unemployment, a lot of people working part-time, and a lot of self-employed. Our GDP is attributed and divided amongst a very large employment base, meaning numerically low productivity. 
In France they have high unemployment, far fewer part-time workers and self-employed. The GDP is divided amongst relatively fewer people, ergo productivity is higher. In a month when GDP remains the same and unemployment goes up, productivity also goes up. 
Don't forget, productivity doesn't just mean making and creating stuff - the entire public sector activities count towards it too, another reason why France is above us, yet economically doing very badly indeed, given that last year 57% of 'output' was State sector. 
Of course many of these state employees do very little:-
http://uk.reuters.com/article/2014/03/06/uk-france-absenteeism-idUKBREA2518T20140306


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## Glandwr (Jun 12, 2006)

mgdavid said:


> there is a simple explanation - if you can understand how the OECD 'productivity' stats are composed. It is based around the number of people employed. In this country we have very low unemployment, a lot of people working part-time, and a lot of self-employed. Our GDP is attributed and divided amongst a very large employment base, meaning numerically low productivity.
> In France they have high unemployment, far fewer part-time workers and self-employed. The GDP is divided amongst relatively fewer people, ergo productivity is higher. In a month when GDP remains the same and unemployment goes up, productivity also goes up.
> Don't forget, productivity doesn't just mean making and creating stuff - the entire public sector activities count towards it too, another reason why France is above us, yet economically doing very badly indeed, given that last year 57% of 'output' was State sector.
> Of course many of these state employees do very little:-
> http://uk.reuters.com/article/2014/03/06/uk-france-absenteeism-idUKBREA2518T20140306


If the exclamation is so simple why are Mark Carney, the ONS and the finest economic minds in the country so concerned and at a loss for an exclamation?

Unemployment does not enter the equation or numbers employed. It is hours worked that are used (to account for the different hours in the working week in different countries). You are right that they are then divided into the GDP.

Under that measure it takes until Friday night here to produce what is produced before lunch on Thursday in France.

The most credible explanations at the moment are the relatively low level of capital investment that there has been here since the mid 90s and that has fallen off even more lately and the abundance of zombie companies here.

I will not post again on this thread, after having had my knuckles rapped. If you would like to continue the discussion we could adjorn to the subs lounge and meet in the HRC thread that is mine. :smile2:

Dick


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## mgdavid (Nov 27, 2014)

Glandwr said:


> .......
> 
> I will not post again on this thread, after having had my knuckles rapped. If you would like to continue the discussion we could adjorn to the subs lounge and meet in the HRC thread that is mine. :smile2:
> Dick


thanks but no thanks; I know when I'm pi55ing in the wind!


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

I am getting worried as the widow count is now up to 26.!
They are dropping like flies around me.

Ray.


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## nicholsong (May 26, 2009)

raynipper said:


> I am getting worried as the widow count is now up to 26.!
> They are dropping like flies around me.
> 
> Ray.


Ray, if the deaths are centred around you and plotted on a map by M. Flic you may be getting a 0600 'Invitation' to a quiz game:wink2::laugh:

But seriously, I am sorry that you are losng friends/neighbours.


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

Thanks Geoff.
I thought it was just an age thing but many are younger than me.!!
I keep getting told not to mention the widow numbers but you can't hide something like this.
Another one yesterday. 

Ray.


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## HermanHymer (Dec 5, 2008)

Welcome to African style! I was trying to post a pic... yes'll I'll reread the current topic. But in the meantime google images illegal electrical connections and you'll see Ray, your blokes are in training for a job in Africa.


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## HermanHymer (Dec 5, 2008)

Arsenic and old lace?????


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