Franconian Beer Message Board
Too much Kentish weather...fixed post format |
| Posted by barry on 2017-08-23 09:09:40 |
| I was born and raised in a council house, Jason! But I don't take your comments personally; for some reason, people think now that living in a council house is sign of depravity, laziness, cheating, etc., etc. In fact, there are millions of people now living and working (when they can) in Britain who would give anything to live in a council house but, thanks to the retrograde and regressive policy of several governments, they don't have this opportunity and are forced to suffer extortionate rents and awful conditions from (some) private landlords. Anyway rant over! It's a pretty miserable picture you paint of Britain and one that I am forced to refute (and to you also Andrew, as a continuation of previous discussions). I don't think that Britain is some paradise but nor do I run away with the notion that Germany or anywhere else is either. You can't compare Bamberg (a small city) with Manchester or Birmingham, which are huge in comparison - the population of each being many millions. I don't know the big cities of Germany but, from the little that I've seen, they are not the paradise that you are fortunate to live in. Even beloved Eschawo has its problems, some undesirables, some really scruffy bits and few employment opportunities for the young. I was a bit apprehensive when I moved back to the UK from the rural idyll that is the west of Ireland. Or so people think. In fact, the west of Ireland suffers from terrible deprivation, crime, unemployment, drug misuse and all the other factors that are characteristic of the decline seen in much of the so-call industrialised world. But, Colwyn Bay (and I suppose that it is typical of many another small British town) has eased my fears. Yes, it has some low-level crime, it is possible to find drugs on the street (so I'm told because I've not personally witnessed this), a little litter (but not too much except when the vast seagull population attack a rubbish bin) and a measure of unemployment. OTOH, it has a very friendly and helpful population, good transport links, a beautiful and clean beach and a climate, which, if not Mediterranean, is generally quite benign, in spite of what Nick thinks. Most nights, I walk back through the town centre and I rarely see anyone on the streets, nor are the pubs particularly packed. I lived in a good few places and spent considerable in many others. I just take things as they come, I don't judge people and have quite a high level of tolerance, in spite of what some might think! Somehow, it's allowed me to survive to drink another pint or two tonight. |