Val

I do.

Parents frequently take young children into the smoking sections of restaurants. What choice do they have?

If you are refering to smoking parents' date=' then obviously the children will endure the smoke at home much more frequently, and that is an entirely different problem.

If you are refering to non-smoking restaurants, not go to the restaurant. Simple.

Complete bollocks. Having worked in a pub which supposedly had ventilation systems and a 'no smoking at the bar' policy, I still got really sore throats and stank of smoke at the end of every shift..

Fair enough.

The reasoning you use above could equally be applied to underage drinking' date=' should we just allow teenagers into pubs and clubs as a rule because the enforcement mechanism is not absolute?.[/quote']

We'll it's not quite the same, given that bouncers are there to id. They are not there to check your pockets.

Yes' date=' but if I stand next to you and drink ten pints, I'm the only one who gets drunk.[/quote']

And then if you go out onto the street, and randomly attack me, someone else, or someone's it may well become my problem. Let's not forget that 33 000 people die and 76 000 are injured facially every year as a result of alcohol misuse.

Could someone please explain; is it the smoker and/or the establishment who gets fined?

Merde, how does that work? It looks fine on my screen. Creme brulee just doesn't look right!

Crme brule

ketchup or brown sauce?

I think it's a good idea in principal, and should at least cut the number of social smokers. And given that most people who start smoking, do so socially, this should be a great improvement. At the moment, I don't have a problem with smoking sections in restaurants, as long as they are well separated. But in pubs, really you're only going to get affected by other people's smoke if you're sitting in close proximity to them; so I find an outright ban a bit extreme. I still think enforcement will be a problem.The police will be relying heavily on the public to report sightings, and quite frankly, I don't think anyone will be too bothered. And anyway, it's alcohol which is Britain's greatest social challenge, not cigarettes.

With regard to the workplace issue, I wonder just how many people are bothered by smoke at work, has anyone found figures?

In France, smoking has theoretically been banned in public places since 1992. Has it made any difference to the quality of life? Absolutely not.

I think the ban will also be the test of the Scottish Parliament; we'll just have to wait and see.

Another weird thing is when I watch As If in French(Et Alors?). It's dubbed, and because I've watched most of the episodes in English first, it is a bit surreal.

Arrgghh I hate dubbing! I watched this film a few weeks ago, and it was set in a British School in Germany, starred Patsy Kensit, spoken in English and then dubbed in French! That made my mind boggle a bit, especially because I kept thinking EMMERDALE!

On the other hand, when I watch an English film, subtitled in French, I read the subtitles because they appear quicker than the words are spoken, which is also fairly confusing.

and that matters because?

I'm not criticizing your political persuasion, it's just the SNP have a certain obsession with Norway and St. Bernard's dogs.

well' date=' if you look at the way Norway has managed its oil resources, by setting up a 'Future Generations Fund' and putting some of the revenues generated into it each year, it now has a fund of 100 billion, which generates more in interest each year than they make in oil revenue!

The Norwegians are now concentrating on development of renewable energy sources to prepare for when the oil supplies run out.

The oil money over here has been used to fund Thatcher's dole queues, fill black holes in the budget, and finance the Iraq war.

Not one penny has been set aside in a fund like that of Norway, despite Labour saying they would set one up in the 70s.

Our renewable technologies are also not getting the support they deserve, and there is talk of building new nuclear power stations instead, thus condemning us to yet more toxic waste which there is no real disposal method for.[/quote']

SNP by any chance?

Now I have to sit a 3 hour exam on Saturday to get into the Sorbonne. What a joke. And to top it all off, part of it is dicte, god help me!

For all those who liked the Da Vinci Code; you might like Steve Berry's Romanov Prophecy; which is fairly good if your into early 20th Century Russian history. However some of it is shockingly aawfully written and pure plagerism of Brown. Worth a try though. It's a fairly easy read.

I shall be doing something at the Sorbonne this year...if I can fight my way through the paperwork and endless tests/meetings for the inscriptions.

Incidentaly' date=' I read the Da Vinci Code last week, and to my surprise, really enjoyed it. I think the film has the potential to be brilliant (even if it's not, Audrey Tautou's in it so...)[/quote']

I agree.finished it in a couple of days this week. It's a great book in that it teaches you things that actually enlighten your understanding of life...Walt Disney and Snow White's apple; to pagan symbology etc. However; I just found the characters wooden. For example the bit with the 10 digit code; and it was obvious that it related to the numbers on the floor...and a Havard Professor took so long to work it out...that was seriously frustrating! However; I am also looking forward to the film; especially the chase through Paris bit; because if it's done properly; it'll convey the pace of the book. It will also be interesting to see the director's interpretation of the complex characters...

I have finished reading Rasputin: The Last Word; which was just fantastic! Wish I'd read it before I diod my history essay; but still...it was very enjoyable...simply for the soap opera quality. The author really knows his stuff...and although several mysteries still remain around Rasputin and the Khylsty sect...it certainly enlightens matters.

Following on from the Russia theme... I am reading Trotsky's History of the Russian Revolution Part I in French...which; as you can imagine; is a slow process...but I'm determined to get through it. However I need to start reading French lit. so Mauriac's Le noeud de Vipres is next on my list....

Wirelessly posted (SEC-SGHV200)

Either you haven't described this correctly or you're saying that instead of doing 40 hours community service (for a crime?)' date=' you can get free driving lessons instead?![/quote']

No!that would be silly!its a scheme for 18 to 25 year olds,anyone can apply,because young people driving illegally is a big problem here.

To get 30 hours of free driving lessons in return for 40 hours of community service? This has happened in a town in France. 7 people have passed their driving test and 15 others are currently involved in the project. The mayor wants to cut the number of young people driving illegally...but it's costing him...42OOO euros to do so. Of course this would never happen in Aberdeen...They can't even find the money to repair half the roads...let alone give out free driving lessons!

If you can read French; click here*

I spent years of my life dropping French words into conversations and generally thinking I was French; basically pissing everyone off; so everyone's mega-pleased I've finally gone to live with the frogs! Paris is fab! I've only been here for a month and a half but i'm into the rhythm of my French life; plus my French has improved dramatically; c'est chouette! Originally I wanted to go to university this year but I got rejected from what I wanted to do everywhere; so I thought that this was the better option! Saying that; it's harder work than people imagine! 3 Kids 7 days a week is certainly not easy; especially when your trying to tell them off and can't remember the word you need! At the moment I'm in St. Etienne for a week; I've already been to the Alps; and I'm off to Brittany next week!It's tiring!

But if you want to come and live here for some time why not spend next Summer holidays working for 3 months in Paris? It involves a bit of organisation; but it would be a great oppurtunity; and it's perhaps a bit less scary than the full jump to living here! Plus the advantage is that French people do actually work 35 hours a week; point. So lots of relaxing time! Good luck in your pseudo-French quest!

Another downside is the bloody keyboards! Takes about 10 minutes to type one sentence!

I am working in Paris as an au pair for a year...which is kind of travelling but self-supporting (ish) might I add! Then it's off to uni either in London; south of England or Paris...to do French or French Law;I'll have to wait and see who wants me!

Jeune fille au pair in a Parisian suburb. I get a bedroom and food; so I get paid practically nothing...but it's all good...

However' date=' nobody gives a toss about standard grades.[/quote']

That may be true but I heard a story about a kid who had the 5 A's shebang and then didn't get in to Oxford because he was told, he had a 2 in Standard Grade History...

I never got to open my results...I had them by telephone 680 miles away; which was really weird!

And maybe I exaggerated a little; a B is not that bad...but I got rejected from all the courses I really wanted to do to last year at 4 unis; and so I needed that A...but nevermind...got another couple of months before I have to deal with UCAS again...great!

Well done to everyone by the way:)

And Jenni's a genius!

AH English B

AH French A

AH Latin A

H History A

Especially pleased about my Latin; a bit gutted about english, wasn"t expecting it but oh well...there's always the appeals...

And for Paris too; you have to go to Paris Plage; mind you; you'd be blind to miss it! It's a very surreal experience with famillies munching picnics next to sun-worsippers in next to nothing; even though the beach is only about 6 foot wide! In the square in front of the Hotel de Ville you can play volleyball with random Parisians; which looked fairly fun. If you fancy doing something a bit different though; there's the open air cinema at the Parc de la Villette; and the best thing is, it's free!

Paris lovers! Any great recommendations on places to go?

I would have to say that Monmatre is my favourite part of Paris. The best thing to do is take the metro to Lamarck-Caulincourt and see the back end of Monmatre;which is much less touristy and actually serene. For a bit of fun; go to the Place Marcel Aym and see the statue of the passe-muraille. Then wind your way through Monmatre through the rue Saint Vincent where you can see some wineyards; not what you would expect in Paris; before going to the Sacr-Coeur; have a photo session on the steps and then get down by the Ameli Parc. As long as you stay as far from the tourists as possible; Montmatre is pure delight! In fact...I was there today[gloats!] And I agree: Sainte Chapelle is certainly worth a visit; as is the Jardin des Tuilleries and the Jardin du Luxembourg is a great place for a walk too. Despite the fact I now live in Paris; Im still kind of a tourist so I havent unearthed any real 'finds' in terms of restaurants etc., however I have a bit of time so we'll see...

I totally agree. Minimum drinks prices seem to be a ridiculous idea. The fact of the matter is that the city centre is still full of pubs, bars and clubs; binge drinking will still be a way of life in British society today, whatever the price of alcohol. Aberdeen City Council cannot change the choice of a nation. Increasing prices by a pound is not going to stop people coming into town with an intention of getting drunk. All that will happen is people will drink far more before even setting out thus causing more trouble on Union Street for a longer period of time, making the police, who are pushing for the raise, left with more disturbances to sort out. It appears to be a mere publicity stunt. The council look like they are 'doing something' to please those who constantly write into the Evening Express complaining about 'the youth of today' but it really is not going to miraculously make the Saturday and Sunday morning scenes on Union Street disappear.

" Dr Laurence Gruer, who advises NHS Health Scotland on public health issues, argued it(increases and restrictions on the sale of alcohol)was the only way to reverse the death rate. "

BBC News Scotland

To be honest, I really don't think that paying 1.75 for a pint of beer will rise life expectancy. Perhaps if the Scottish Executive put more money into alcohol education in the first place, then we would not have this problem. I still can't understand why there are no mandatory health warnings on alcohol advertisments, like there are on cigarettes. The council really are barking up the wrong tree on this one. They created the problem. They put dozens of licenced venues in a concentrated area. And funnily enough, they're the ones who cannot deal with the consequences.

Busted admit that they are pure pop, and they're good at what they do. Their songs are not direly deppressing, unlike many other pop songs. They sell records and make money, so what's wrong with that?

Red tights, red jumper and matching red underwear. It was out of uniform day:)

.HEY THE WORLD. I REFUSE TO ACCEPT ANYONE ELSE'S THOUGHTS AND I AM A SELFISH BASTARD.