Author Archives: bill

About bill

Worked in the technical / engineering area as a Science Laboratory Technician and as an Aeronautics Engineer. The artistic side involves writing under the nom de plume of Billy Olsenn, his recently written play 'A Case of Wine' was staged by the players group Straight Make-Up at the 2012 Birr one act drama festival. It's next staging was in the one act circuit is in Cavan, at Maudebawn on Sat 10 Nov 2012. Then it was performed in the Bray, Co.Wicklow at the very popular one act festival in January 2013. Next play is FEAR. A dark tale about revenge on the cruel death of two pensioners by young thugs. Neighbours hatch a devious and dangerous plan to exact old-style revenge. Bill is a member of the Drama League of Ireland and his plays have been critically vetted and certified as original pieces of work by the DLI. Another literary project is that of commemoration of an aircraft crash on Djouce mountain in Wicklow in 1946. Bill wrote articles for the 50th, 60th and most recently the 70th anniversary, (12 Aug 2016) all were published in the Wicklow Times and ensured the survivors of the crash, all French Girl Guides, were not forgotten. Articles reproduced on this website. But mostly this site gives a more general European and specific French slant on popular and not so popular articles of French news, translated to English by the author. Each article is translated on a paragraph by paragraph basis so easy to read in either language and even possible to improve either language by comparison of the short English and French paragraphs. Amusez vous bien. The author is currently writing an easy to read technical aviation book centered around the Fokker 50. Another interest is that dealt with in another of Bill's websites www.realnamara.net, a Statue of the mother of God, Mary. It was erected in 1972 in Dublin, at the end of the Bull Wall near Clontarf, and my grandfather William Nelson, was the main instigator of that project. I give talks on the history of the statue and my grandfather's adventurous and dangerous life at sea. Technical assistance with each website is by J O'N.

Montgolfier launch nearly 500 balloons to create record.

Posted on July 28, 2017 by bill

Lorraine : près de 500 montgolfières décollent pour un record du monde Un huissier a pu constater, vendredi, l’envol en ligne de 456 ballons, contre 433 lors de l’édition 2015. franceinfo avec AFPFrance Télévisions Mis à jour le 28/07/2017 | … Continue reading →

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France to nationalise Nantes ship yards.

Posted on July 27, 2017 by bill

Quatre questions sur la nationalisation temporaire des chantiers navals STX de Saint-Nazaire L’Etat a décidé de faire valoir son droit de préemption sur le capital du constructeur naval STX, alors que l’italien Fincantieri exige de détenir plus de 51% du … Continue reading →

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Mosquitos: why do they bite some more than others?

Posted on July 26, 2017 by bill

Pourquoi les moustiques piquent plus certaines personnes que d’autres ? Les moustiques ont leur préférence lorsqu’il s’agit de nous piquer. Les odeurs et le groupe sanguin guident leur choix. Mosquitos have a preference who to sting. Blood group odours guide … Continue reading →

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Fires in SE France.

Posted on July 25, 2017 by bill

La Croix-Valmer, Mirabeau, Biguglia… Où en sont les incendies qui ravagent le sud-est de la France ? Si en Haute-Corse ou dans les Alpes-Maritimes, le feu est désormais fixé, ce n’est pas le cas dans le Vaucluse où les incendies … Continue reading →

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Child dies when struck by (silent) electric vehicle.

Posted on July 22, 2017 by bill

Moselle : un enfant de 4 ans meurt après avoir été percuté par le véhicule électrique d’un postier Un enfant de 4 ans est mort à Merten (Moselle), vendredi matin, heurté par la voiture électrique d’un postier, qui faisait une … Continue reading →

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Drought in France due lack of rain. 81 departments affected including 26 in crisis.

Posted on July 22, 2017 by bill

CARTES. Sécheresse : 81 départements touchés, dont 26 en “crise hydrique” Parmi eux, 68 étaient concernés par des arrêtés préfectoraux limitant l’utilisation de l’eau. Among them, 68 have water restrictions imposed. Des chevaux sur une terre desséchée près de Bastelicaccia (Corse-du-Sud), le 27 … Continue reading →

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Maréchal Petain’s tomb vandalised.

Posted on July 22, 2017 by bill

Vendée : la tombe du maréchal Pétain vandalisée à l’île d’Yeu La tombe du maréchal Pétain, sur l’île d’Yeu (Vendée) a été vandalisée, samedi, à 4h du matin. La croix a été brisée. La tombe du maréchal Pétain, décédé le 26 … Continue reading →

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Aircraft goes technical: 180 passengers grounded in BOD.

Posted on July 22, 2017 by bill

Vol Bordeaux-Alger : 180 passagers bloqués à l’aéroport de Mérignac durant 31 heures Un avion de la compagnie Aigle Azur est resté cloué sur le tarmac de l’aéroport Bordeaux-Mérignac entre vendredi et samedi, à cause d’un problème technique et d’un malaise. An Aigle … Continue reading →

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Max Gallo, Academic and writer dies aged 85 years.

Posted on July 21, 2017 by bill

Max Gallo s’est éteint à 85 ans Max Gallo, historien, membre de l’Académie française, est mort ce mercredi 19 juillet à 85 ans. Amoureux de la France, engagé politiquement, Max Gallo, c’est une œuvre impressionnante. Mis à jour le 20/07/2017 … Continue reading →

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Storm alerts in centre and SW France.

Posted on July 21, 2017 by bill

Orages : 14 départements du Sud-Ouest au massif Central en vigilance orange. 14 departments in the SW and central France on storms orange alert. De violents orages sont attendus. Violent storms expected. Un ciel d’orage, le 16 juillet 2015, entre le … Continue reading →

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