h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

(continued from the previous JoPos).

As well as registering into the database all births, deaths and weddings taking place in France, we also keep an eye on voting lists.

Each town, city and village has its own voting list, but we make sure they're accurate.
Every year, we send letters to every town city and village where we know there are 18-year-olds, to tell them to add the youngsters to their list. (we know they live there because every 18-year-old has to attend a "citizens' day", which is organised and overseen by the Home Office, and they then give us the lists of names with the address they have declared).

Also, when someone moves, they need to register on the voting list of their new residence; when the town's office sends us their regitration, we send a letter to the previous town they were voting in, asking them to erase the people from their list.
Otherwise, they could potentially vote twice (which is illegal, by the way).

And when someone dies, we cut their voting rights too.
Sometimes, a town sends us a form telling us they have struck someone off because they're dead, but we haven't been told they were, so we need to investigate, find out whether they really are dead (most of the time, they are indeed), and make sure the town where it happened gives us all the details we need to enter the event into the database.



I really like my job, it's pretty varied, there's some investigation, some contact with people, and it's always fun to see the names people give their kids!

Thanks for keeping me amused this month, love reading about different cultures, and the French are certainly a mystery to us Roast beef!

[Amy P]

"when someone dies, we cut their voting rights too."

Do you also notify the people who pay their pensions, or is that someone else's job?

These journals have been really fascinating and I've said it before, your job sounds so interesting.

Deb

It's been an honour. *curtsey*


Paulh: our software and the pension organism's communicate every night, so we don't actually see it happening, but there are exchanges.


Deb: it really is.

Reddit

In my observation, the French are jolly good at organising. Sounds like they've got the system well set up here. With SF's help, of course.

I'm just one of the cogs that keep it running.

The French seem to go their own way, and often they get it right. The so-called "French paradox" may turn out to be the real thing, and everyone else's theories are wrong.

Well, there are advantages to living in the best country in the world, you know.

Well, the best with one exception: The Maginot Line was spectacularly ineffective. if anything, it prevented French troops from escaping the German attacks after they went *around* the wall.

But nobody's perfect. Louis XIV ate with his fingers. The man who invented the guillotine probably did not foresee the uses to which it would be put . So, if millions of nice Frenchmen and women want to enjoy croissants and cassoulet and wonderful produce from local markets, why deny them? There's even a marathon through the wine country, complete with runners in costume -- many of whom stop at various vineyards along the way to sample the wines. A drunken wonderfully costume marathon? A wonderfully inventive people, the French, as long as you learn to prepare their foods yourself and circumvent the rude waiters.

I just like being there and regret that we get there far too seldom these days. One weekend next year I am definitely going to schlepp my husband to Reims and re-create the lovely time we had there with SF.

Hubbie will, however, be spending quite a chunk of 2015 in France, if his plans work out. The aborted cycle ride to Santiago to Chile (he only got as far as Colmar last September until his knee gave him trouble) is due to be reprised on Easter Monday.

If you' d like to see the light show at the cathedral, come in the Summer or around Christmastime. It's not on the rest of the year.
... And do let me know if you want to meet up.

I have no idea why I said Santiago de Chile up there. Of course, I mean Santiago de Compostela.

Germany to Chile on a bike, now that's what I call a challenge. Especially with all that water there.

Well, you can bike from Pittsfield to Peru as long as you stay within Massachusetts.