Tonight's Property Ladder, Channel 4

[al]

Just because something *can* be built, doesn't mean there's an incentive to live there. Example - you want a holiday home and have to choose between Dubai and Afghanistan. One has a stable (at least right now), clean and well run economy and attractive homes to buy, the other is torn apart by war. You *can* build a house in either, but Afghanistan right now is uninhabitable for most people. The Scottish highlands can have houses built on it - but who'd want to live there! Towns form where resources make it beneficial to live (shelter, water, commerce, etc.). Places that oppose that way of thinking are "uninhabitable" from the point of view that it will never make sense to have a settlement there.

If I sold my house here, I could goto the highlands and buy huge amounts of land and build a palatial house. What good would it do me? The area is uninhabitable unless you're a hermit.

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[al]

Ahhh ... but can we spot that there was an economic incentive for people to settle there? They really didn't do it just because they thought it would be a well 'ard place to live that would impress the likes of you!!

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[IMM]

£40 a head for nosh? get back to London mate.

Cow shit on your doorstep?

I can lie in bed in my London pad and not hear cars. It is in a court yard type of place with well sealed windows. Not a sound!

I have herbs shops nearby.

I can sit in my London pad and not see soul too.

In London I don't need a car to leave unlocked.

I can get to them in a matter of minutes.

Same here.

[al]

facilities?

Well some people might say that spectacular and wild landscapes deserve to be kept that way. Weird eh!?

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[al]

And also, sadly as it may or may not be, is why "the North" isn't so profitable a place to live now. Their time of valuable resource has passed. As mankind evolves and seeks new resources it may change back to being the most profitable part of the UK. But it still has s**te whether mind you ;)

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[The Natural Philosopher]

Glasgow is not a bad town really. Apart from being wet cold dark and gloomy in winter.

Bristol is another one I have a bit of affection for.

Leeds looks nice, but I haven't been there long enough...and I enjoyed staying in Leicester once for a couple of weeks.

Oxford and Cambridge have gone loony left and are not worth visitng anymore.

Bath is still - Bath!

I hated Brussels. Copenhagen is utter s**te. Some people like New York, but you can keep it as far as I am concerned. Ditto Paris. Orelans looked nice, but I never had time to find out... Prague is worth a look. Dublin is worth getting pissed in. Fine museum. Seville...now I could get used to Seville...

[IMM]

That is not the point. The point that snotty uni was saying large parts of the UK cannot be physically built on.

Can you??? Please try!!! You cannot build in the country. We are prevented from doing so. Only in certain circumstance can you build, usually replacing an existing building. Try to buy open land and build a big house. You will be shocked.

[IMM]

Missed the point.

[al]

The main rule about all rules is there are always exceptions. I don't know enough about SLC to know if there were any other good reasons to settle there so I can't comment on it specifically. It does not however follow that because of that if you provide the houses the people will come!

Didn't you have a PC back in the times of games like Civilisation, etc.? YOU NEED RESOURCES .....

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[IMM]

And drunken violent people. Ever see the rubber men of Sochihall St?

[The Natural Philosopher]

No, actually they did not. Read your history.

Getting across the high plains of the USA was about getting from one waterhole to the next by and large. Salt lake and other towns are there because they had some sort of water supply, or were on established wagon trails...usually because the going was easier etc etc.

Of course, once established, railroads were built and they became trade centers as a result.

But before that they were stopover places on the way from the upper reaches of the missisipi/missouri rivers, to the west coast..

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[al]

Why bother ... it's not like working in the capitol costs the blood-sucking cretins anything in the first place!! They apparently aren't even going to pay the congestion charge. I mean £5 a day for someone on a basic salary of £70k+ (never mind the other perks) is obviously far too much to ask of them! And don't suggest they use the public transport they try to ram down our necks, you might start a revolution ;)

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[IMM]

Why not?

That is what happened in Milton Keynes. They built the house gave financial incentives to companies and it took off like a rocket. The secret was that they designed and built the place properly. It is still expanding like mad.

[al]

And when have I resorted to slagging off people? I have my own opinions, sometimes strong, but I accept other people have their own and it's just as valid for them.

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[IMM]

I spent 6 months there. The locals say it is a silly place to put a city, although the Rockies rise at the side of it and there are some ski resorts there now.

[The Natural Philosopher]

Actually in the end I was commuting out of London to Royston and back each day.....I never actually WORKED in london. Strange, isn't it?

Alternate extremes, but mostly just one extreme.

If you REALLY want to see what life is all about, take a trip to the African bush. Its amazing what you DON'T need, and even more amazing hen you discover what is left of yourself when totally divorced from 'modern society'

Mind blowing.

I prefer to be right in, or right out, of a city. I hate the middle ground with a passion.

I livbe as you may have gathered in East Anglia.

Someone remarked that East anglia was nice, because it isn't on the way to anywhere else. If you come here, its to be here.

I have remarked, that people are here, by and large, because they WANT to be here, or are born here. No one comes to suffolk to make their fortunes, or advance their careers. Either they have made a fortune, or stopped trying, or indeed never started.

Therefore people here are not competing with you. They are just 'here' and so are you.

This gives a unique flavour to the place. The home counties are FULL of sharp elbowed suits, nattering on about their cars, their careers, and how much money they are making. Personally I find such people utter bores.

[IMM]

blood-sucking

Get out your car and stop polluting. use public transport. I can't stand polluting whingers like you who think they have to go everywhere in their cars. Ken is right. Just about every major city in the world is thinking of copying Ken.

[al]

Yikes ... I'm agreeing with IMM now ... ;P

PARIS!?!?!!! You've got to be joking! Pretty yes - friendly no! Berlin has incredible architecture. SF is a great great place - almost seems to layed back to be called a city. But I couldn't live in the USA (SF is about the best choice though!).

He does have some good ideas and at least stands up for what he believes in. I respect him for that. I really respect him for his stance over that un-elected imbecile visiting the Queen a while ago! His war on drivers angers me. If public transport was a quarter of the price, reliable and fast (Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan, Luxembourg and many others manage to some extent!) I'd be more on his side.

I enjoy driving too much to give it up. I don't drive out of laziness. I drive for fun when I can.

All cities have their badly designed shit-holes. London has many. But again, the smart buyer can avoid and can live in perfectly acceptable quality without being made of money.

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[IMM]

The kettle and pot and black. You were going on about making a load of lolly.

[al]

Damn .... you used quotes ... is that some sort of Matrix-esque "knowing"?

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