Tonight's Property Ladder, Channel 4

[The Natural Philosopher]

You will probably have noitced that in the alps, there are things called 'alpine meadows' which make excellent grazing for goats, sheep and cows, and produce some of the best milk and cheese in that part of the world.

its also conveniently near major population centers like Munich, and most of swirtzerland, and has a huge tourist industry.

Contrast with teh scottish highlands, which is bloody miles from anywhere, and apart from game and forestry, has no useable resources at all...being teh scaped clkean by galaciation remnants ogf a mountain range, with no soil, not mucgh sun, and bloody awful winters. And midges. Never forget the midges.

[al]

OK, trying not too sound too geeky, but I did play Civilisation a lot a long time ago!! When you got LOADSA money, you could build big extravagant things in the middle of nowhere for the hell of it. If you create a resource and a reason to come, it could work. Organised crime created a gambling haven away from the city cops. It ran away with itself and snowballed into what Vegas is today. This however does not equate to sticking 500 semi's on the side of Ben Nevis with a McD's in the middle! ;)

a

[al]

In fairness to the place, it looks a hell of a lot better in the last 5-10 years. I just can't get over the accent though! Sorry .... *ducks once more* .....

a

[al]

Is it just me or is it getting late ....!?

a

[IMM]

You have to. It is good for you.

I spent the best part of 5 years living between Paris and London. Paris beats London by a mile. Food is cheap and "very" good.

I like his war on drivers. London is choking under cars. Something has to be done.

Paris is subsidised. London get little. Thatcher neglected the system so much it will take 10 years to get it back to the way it was and another 10 to try and keep up. A lose, lose situation.

Then get out of a big city! and stop whinging.

[The Natural Philosopher]

Learn to read. Or better still learn grammar. I said:

"INFINITELY better food than I have EVER had in london for less than about 40 quid."

Not: "INFINITELY better food than I have EVER had in london, for less than about 40 quid."

Now I know YOU can't tell the difference, because grammar wasn't in the Bumper Book of How Things Work, but that is your problem, not mine.

Not so as you would notice. Surprisingly there are huge acres of countryssde completely devoid of bovines.

And when you open the windows? To let the birdsong in?

That costs money and they are not fresh.

With your eyes open, sunshine.

I'll grant you that one.

nope. Its not.

[IMM]

When you amongst them, you don't hear it.

[The Natural Philosopher]

That is the thing that puts me off mostly. And the gloomy winters.

BUT with property prices low, it is attractive to business and individual alike.

SOME peple like it up there.

I am more latin by temperament. Give me a hot dry place any day.

[The Natural Philosopher]

But at least they are not as boring as you are.

>

[IMM]

You would think they would build some houses on it wouldn't you.

I hear the water of the fountain.

They do me.

If I don't people in, they don't come in.

Yes it is.

[IMM]

The worst weather in England I found in East Anglia. Cold and wet and those winds coming in from Siberia.

[IMM]

LOL. You are fun.

[The Natural Philosopher]

Chickens and eggs. There was already a lot of reasonable infrastructure around MK. throwing money at it made it advantagoeus to set up industry there., The people will go where the jobs are, and where the cost of living is less than the salary. That's all.

Now you ma decide that we shpuld akll pay a penny extra tax to buiold New Caledinai in a scottsh bog halfway aup a muntain, put in an airport (if yy can find a flat bit) dam up a few streams for water, build a nuclear power station, a motorway or there, and subsideise the shit out of the place, and build a scottish newtown. BUT you srer distorting underlying factors that make towns happen where they happen - because they arecoist effective. You cannot fight economics and remain competitive.

You should move to Bombay, where the cost of living is MUCH less and there are plenty of houses.

[al]

Well, my point was that I physically could be wouldn't want to as I couldn't survive there even if it were legal as I couldn't make a living and would hate the isolation and not being able to do the things I like doing.

a

[al]

MK is a commuter town for London, that's why it's successful. It's centre can support the local community with low level jobs and entertainment, but the people that live there I imagine mostly work in the city.

a

[S Viemeister]

Midges are impossible to forget. It amazes me how few people in midge-infested areas, have window screens. With summers like the last one, the choice was between being roasted, or bitten. Well, not at my house - I made midge-proof screens for my windows.

Sheila

[Witchy]

I've just got to look at tonight's slew of messages to decide not to!

-- cheers,

witchy/binarydinosaurs

[The Natural Philosopher]

I know, I went there too, but living with a bunch of weird christians is not my idea of fun. Its an established fact that americans don't know anything about their country anyway, and even less about history and other peoples countries.

I suppose that is why you felt at home there...

[The Natural Philosopher]

I think it means he is a Gnostic...

[The Natural Philosopher]

? not recently. ?