First trip back to the UK - what a dump!
#346
Re: First trip back to the UK - what a dump!
Although there is some truth in this sentiment it still amazes me that the British (correction, possibly the English) still think they are leading the world on every advancement, be it social, economic, technical, political, moral or what have you.
Yes - Canada will never compete with The UK on the following, which many might argue are trivial areas:
-Decent mass-produced Ale
-Decent mass-produced Newspapers
-Music & 'Festival Culture' (enough said)
-Telly and Media generally, including local broadcasts (enough said)
-Comedy
I ask you what the above listed items have in common? One thing, Entertainment (or to use Psycho-analyist speak, "escapism"). I would argue that The UK needs a regular dose of this to keep it ticking over.
However if one strays into key public policy areas, such as the Politico-Legal arena, it can be seen that 'the Colonies' have been light years ahead of the Mother Land in some very key areas. One would think that the trend should be in the reverse however it NEVER is that case - why?
An up to date topical one, that of 'Legal Aid' and the cuts, is a good example. BC has for very many years now had what most would consider a 'sensible' approach.
BC argues [as now does Cameron's gang in The UK again, and agian...] that in any developed Western country of one's choosing, that Legal Aid should be reserved for those actually in need, and only in special circumstances, for example Child Protection and serious Domestic Violence cases.
Without any Due Diligence check I am still certain that the position is much the same in Alberta or Ontario.
Make the system work better for the few in real need instead of trying to act as a milky platform for all and sundry with a grievance to litigate at will, and with impunity, due to their often artificial financial 'non-means'.
Why has it take The UK so long to finally realise that it has had its policy so wrong, for so long?
Pick any other countyr with a similar history - New Zealand, for example - and I would think the same 'enlightened' attititude applies.
FROTSUK
Yes - Canada will never compete with The UK on the following, which many might argue are trivial areas:
-Decent mass-produced Ale
-Decent mass-produced Newspapers
-Music & 'Festival Culture' (enough said)
-Telly and Media generally, including local broadcasts (enough said)
-Comedy
I ask you what the above listed items have in common? One thing, Entertainment (or to use Psycho-analyist speak, "escapism"). I would argue that The UK needs a regular dose of this to keep it ticking over.
However if one strays into key public policy areas, such as the Politico-Legal arena, it can be seen that 'the Colonies' have been light years ahead of the Mother Land in some very key areas. One would think that the trend should be in the reverse however it NEVER is that case - why?
An up to date topical one, that of 'Legal Aid' and the cuts, is a good example. BC has for very many years now had what most would consider a 'sensible' approach.
BC argues [as now does Cameron's gang in The UK again, and agian...] that in any developed Western country of one's choosing, that Legal Aid should be reserved for those actually in need, and only in special circumstances, for example Child Protection and serious Domestic Violence cases.
Without any Due Diligence check I am still certain that the position is much the same in Alberta or Ontario.
Make the system work better for the few in real need instead of trying to act as a milky platform for all and sundry with a grievance to litigate at will, and with impunity, due to their often artificial financial 'non-means'.
Why has it take The UK so long to finally realise that it has had its policy so wrong, for so long?
Pick any other countyr with a similar history - New Zealand, for example - and I would think the same 'enlightened' attititude applies.
FROTSUK
This may be the classic "needs to get out more" post.
#348
Re: First trip back to the UK - what a dump!
This thread gave me the biggest laugh I have had in ages, and believe me I needed one.
Same here. Im planning on going back for a visit in 2013 and it will be 25 years since Ive set foot on British soil.
Do I have any any preconceived ideas of what to expect and how much or little the country has or has not changed that remains to be seen.
Im sure I will not be coming back and complaining that I couldnt get a Timmies, shop at Canadian Tire, etc etc.
Canada has its good and bad points much like the UK has.
Maybe some of you could answer the following questions?
Is it still about a 3 hour drive from Preston to London M6 M1 route
Is Tony Blackburn still a DJ on radio 1
Are hollands pies and steak puddings still as good
Will I be able to rent a Ford Capri and park it safely in Liverpool
Are Pans People, Hot Gossip and Hills Angels doing dance routines
Can I still go for a donkey ride on Blackpool beach
Im guessing with inflation that petrol is now about 3 quid a gallon
Can I still buy a 5 pound bag of spuds and a quarter of roast beef
Liverpool won the league in the 89-90 season have they won it since
Is it still safe to walk around Moss Side after dark
Are Londoners still warm and friendly to Northerners much like the GTA folk in Canada
Are there still only 4 TV channels
or am I really out of touch
Same here. Im planning on going back for a visit in 2013 and it will be 25 years since Ive set foot on British soil.
Do I have any any preconceived ideas of what to expect and how much or little the country has or has not changed that remains to be seen.
Im sure I will not be coming back and complaining that I couldnt get a Timmies, shop at Canadian Tire, etc etc.
Canada has its good and bad points much like the UK has.
Maybe some of you could answer the following questions?
Is it still about a 3 hour drive from Preston to London M6 M1 route
Is Tony Blackburn still a DJ on radio 1
Are hollands pies and steak puddings still as good
Will I be able to rent a Ford Capri and park it safely in Liverpool
Are Pans People, Hot Gossip and Hills Angels doing dance routines
Can I still go for a donkey ride on Blackpool beach
Im guessing with inflation that petrol is now about 3 quid a gallon
Can I still buy a 5 pound bag of spuds and a quarter of roast beef
Liverpool won the league in the 89-90 season have they won it since
Is it still safe to walk around Moss Side after dark
Are Londoners still warm and friendly to Northerners much like the GTA folk in Canada
Are there still only 4 TV channels
or am I really out of touch
Is it still about a 3 hour drive from Preston to London M6 M1 route - No; haven't you heard that in 1999 Preston was hit by a HZBH rocket during a local church Bake Sale that simply got out of hand, involving mobile phone technology.
Is Tony Blackburn still a DJ on radio 1 - Mr. Blackburn was last reported to be running a Guerilla operation off of the Colombian West coast, bobbing around on a 'transit' ship; this is what "the BBC understands" anyway.
Are hollands pies and steak puddings still as good - Hollands went out of business in the 90s after 'Pukka Pies' launched a Judicial Review on the acceptable amount of seagull in all English-made Pies.
Will I be able to rent a Ford Capri and park it safely in Liverpool - timeless; do be serious.
Are Pans People, Hot Gossip and Hills Angels doing dance routines - I believe that all 3 now run Briton & Hove Local Authority.
Can I still go for a donkey ride on Blackpool beach - the last Donkey was reported to have been eaten by in 2006 Eastern European vagrants, with a swan on the side to add extra flavour. No Donkeys exist.
Im guessing with inflation that petrol is now about 3 quid a gallon - 'Petrol'?What is this substance you speak of here? We have been running cars on Banana skins & Gin since 2003 old boy.
Can I still buy a 5 pound bag of spuds and a quarter of roast beef - yes but it is now a 1 pound bag of po-ta-toes and a 1/5th joint of roasted beast. Also both now come from Turkey.
Liverpool won the league in the 89-90 season have they won it since - there have been a few change involving Russian Oil that you may want to look further into re this point.
Is it still safe to walk around Moss Side after dark - do see 'Liverpool' above.
Are Londoners still warm and friendly to Northerners much like the GTA folk in Canada - London's Housing Estates & Gangs now stretch their arms to Nottingham therefore anyone North of Middle Earth still receives the same warm welcome
Are there still only 4 TV channels - TV?
Last edited by FirstRatofftheShipUK; Feb 26th 2012 at 4:10 pm.
#353
Re: First trip back to the UK - what a dump!
Well I came back from the UK late last night.
I wouldn't move back as I like Canada but apart from the "over crowdedness" I liked it! No complaints! Didn't even feel threatened by a cheddar wielding hoody!!!
I wouldn't move back as I like Canada but apart from the "over crowdedness" I liked it! No complaints! Didn't even feel threatened by a cheddar wielding hoody!!!
#355
Re: First trip back to the UK - what a dump!
There must be something behind this description..unless it is the cheese theme so popular on BE
#356
Forum Regular
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 139
Re: First trip back to the UK - what a dump!
Well for example, if I lived in hereford, chances are I wouldn't be seeing any bands play anywhere. If I live in Toronto for example, there are MANY MANY MANY different venues upon which I can go to see indie bands play.
Each city will have their own slight differences. Hereford was lovely, but it's totally rural. Hamilton, is one hour/ maybe a bit less away from both niagara falls and toronto. It also has places inbetween like miss, guelph, burlington, ancaster etc, which have their own shops/entertainment etc. I guess the fact that the GTA is clustered together makes it a bit more appealing, there is more to do. Plus like I said, I am from there, and my family and friends are there, so that also provides social stimulation which I wouldn't get anywhere else.
Each city will have their own slight differences. Hereford was lovely, but it's totally rural. Hamilton, is one hour/ maybe a bit less away from both niagara falls and toronto. It also has places inbetween like miss, guelph, burlington, ancaster etc, which have their own shops/entertainment etc. I guess the fact that the GTA is clustered together makes it a bit more appealing, there is more to do. Plus like I said, I am from there, and my family and friends are there, so that also provides social stimulation which I wouldn't get anywhere else.
And as for things to do - OMG - have you lived in a bubble in the UK. We have culture, which is absent in Canada. There are many more things to do in the UK for all ages and tastes than in Canada, where I find many things very twee. Although the vineyards of Niagara are fantastic, what a dump Niagara Falls are for example.
As for the attitude in UK, you will never understand us if you are not from there. British people are down to Earth, honest and possess a fantastic sense of humour. This contrasts with what I find is a very shallow USA-lite, scattered with liberal twinkles attitude of most Canadians. I have some great Canadian friends but there is not much 'banter' or piss-taking going on.
I invited an important member of society with his wife to my house in ONT for dinner - very respected in the area. He turned up alone, totally high on some drug or other, drank all our wine and took a piss against our outside wall ??? His dinner conversation was very shallow and it has made us very cautious about picking who we have for dinner.
Just up the bay, we have Wasaga Beach, which in itself is Blackpool-lite. At times during holidays it s full of drunken, drugged up Canadian Yoof (sic) who are very loud and brazen - to a Brit like me they are gobby Can-Chavs.
What I'm saying is that firstly you can never understand a culture as an outsider and secondly that there is a good and bad everywhere. You need to take off your rose coloured specs!
Ta!
Jim
#357
Re: First trip back to the UK - what a dump!
That's rubbish and just confirms my suspicion that you have a massive chip on your shoulder about the UK. I lived in Hereford for many years and the music scene is good - you can see a band play practically every night of the week. Granted it is not the size of Toronto but that makes it better.
And as for things to do - OMG - have you lived in a bubble in the UK. We have culture, which is absent in Canada. There are many more things to do in the UK for all ages and tastes than in Canada, where I find many things very twee. Although the vineyards of Niagara are fantastic, what a dump Niagara Falls are for example.
As for the attitude in UK, you will never understand us if you are not from there. British people are down to Earth, honest and possess a fantastic sense of humour. This contrasts with what I find is a very shallow USA-lite, scattered with liberal twinkles attitude of most Canadians. I have some great Canadian friends but there is not much 'banter' or piss-taking going on.
I invited an important member of society with his wife to my house in ONT for dinner - very respected in the area. He turned up alone, totally high on some drug or other, drank all our wine and took a piss against our outside wall ??? His dinner conversation was very shallow and it has made us very cautious about picking who we have for dinner.
Just up the bay, we have Wasaga Beach, which in itself is Blackpool-lite. At times during holidays it s full of drunken, drugged up Canadian Yoof (sic) who are very loud and brazen - to a Brit like me they are gobby Can-Chavs.
What I'm saying is that firstly you can never understand a culture as an outsider and secondly that there is a good and bad everywhere. You need to take off your rose coloured specs!
Ta!
Jim
And as for things to do - OMG - have you lived in a bubble in the UK. We have culture, which is absent in Canada. There are many more things to do in the UK for all ages and tastes than in Canada, where I find many things very twee. Although the vineyards of Niagara are fantastic, what a dump Niagara Falls are for example.
As for the attitude in UK, you will never understand us if you are not from there. British people are down to Earth, honest and possess a fantastic sense of humour. This contrasts with what I find is a very shallow USA-lite, scattered with liberal twinkles attitude of most Canadians. I have some great Canadian friends but there is not much 'banter' or piss-taking going on.
I invited an important member of society with his wife to my house in ONT for dinner - very respected in the area. He turned up alone, totally high on some drug or other, drank all our wine and took a piss against our outside wall ??? His dinner conversation was very shallow and it has made us very cautious about picking who we have for dinner.
Just up the bay, we have Wasaga Beach, which in itself is Blackpool-lite. At times during holidays it s full of drunken, drugged up Canadian Yoof (sic) who are very loud and brazen - to a Brit like me they are gobby Can-Chavs.
What I'm saying is that firstly you can never understand a culture as an outsider and secondly that there is a good and bad everywhere. You need to take off your rose coloured specs!
Ta!
Jim
#358
Banned
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 1,088
Re: First trip back to the UK - what a dump!
That's rubbish and just confirms my suspicion that you have a massive chip on your shoulder about the UK. I lived in Hereford for many years and the music scene is good - you can see a band play practically every night of the week. Granted it is not the size of Toronto but that makes it better.
And as for things to do - OMG - have you lived in a bubble in the UK. We have culture, which is absent in Canada. There are many more things to do in the UK for all ages and tastes than in Canada, where I find many things very twee. Although the vineyards of Niagara are fantastic, what a dump Niagara Falls are for example.
As for the attitude in UK, you will never understand us if you are not from there. British people are down to Earth, honest and possess a fantastic sense of humour. This contrasts with what I find is a very shallow USA-lite, scattered with liberal twinkles attitude of most Canadians. I have some great Canadian friends but there is not much 'banter' or piss-taking going on.
I invited an important member of society with his wife to my house in ONT for dinner - very respected in the area. He turned up alone, totally high on some drug or other, drank all our wine and took a piss against our outside wall ??? His dinner conversation was very shallow and it has made us very cautious about picking who we have for dinner.
Just up the bay, we have Wasaga Beach, which in itself is Blackpool-lite. At times during holidays it s full of drunken, drugged up Canadian Yoof (sic) who are very loud and brazen - to a Brit like me they are gobby Can-Chavs.
What I'm saying is that firstly you can never understand a culture as an outsider and secondly that there is a good and bad everywhere. You need to take off your rose coloured specs!
Ta!
Jim
And as for things to do - OMG - have you lived in a bubble in the UK. We have culture, which is absent in Canada. There are many more things to do in the UK for all ages and tastes than in Canada, where I find many things very twee. Although the vineyards of Niagara are fantastic, what a dump Niagara Falls are for example.
As for the attitude in UK, you will never understand us if you are not from there. British people are down to Earth, honest and possess a fantastic sense of humour. This contrasts with what I find is a very shallow USA-lite, scattered with liberal twinkles attitude of most Canadians. I have some great Canadian friends but there is not much 'banter' or piss-taking going on.
I invited an important member of society with his wife to my house in ONT for dinner - very respected in the area. He turned up alone, totally high on some drug or other, drank all our wine and took a piss against our outside wall ??? His dinner conversation was very shallow and it has made us very cautious about picking who we have for dinner.
Just up the bay, we have Wasaga Beach, which in itself is Blackpool-lite. At times during holidays it s full of drunken, drugged up Canadian Yoof (sic) who are very loud and brazen - to a Brit like me they are gobby Can-Chavs.
What I'm saying is that firstly you can never understand a culture as an outsider and secondly that there is a good and bad everywhere. You need to take off your rose coloured specs!
Ta!
Jim
#359
Re: First trip back to the UK - what a dump!
Of course, all Canada's not like that, there's also farms and Chinatowns.
#360
Forum Regular
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 139
Re: First trip back to the UK - what a dump!
For me the UK is all about culture, accessibility, great social drinking, wit and the 'craic'. Canada is about space, weather, scenery, opportunity. Win-win.
But I am not moving to Canada to get away from the UK - just to expand my horizons (literally!)