I feel slightly sick...

[pdsquire]

I seem to have upset some people which wasn't my intention, the whole thing just seemed so 'kin stoopid that I thought it worth pointing out...

It's not you, moon, it's our press that causes the upset. I get utterly dispirited by the constant feed of bad news, much of it really, really misleading.

Last week it was the woman whose son died serving his country. Everyone can understand her grief and in her shoes I'd have shouted at anyone who'd listen. But why have the media continued to report as a fact that the lad died because no helicopter was available when he was lifted within an hour (which is no mean feat in an operational theatre)?

There is in fact not much to be grumpy about in any developed country. UK politicians are almost all honest and doing what they do because they believe in something (the one who spanked his expenses most was on less than £200k - thousands of pen-pushers in the City get more than that without having to live in the public spot-light); the health service serves most of the people well most of the time and excellently for much of the time; the police do not routinely arbitrarily detain people nor beat them up because of their race; the 'worst recession since the War' has not seen soup kitchens in S Yorks (1980s) or the North East (1940s); despite the Guardian getting upset about 'super-injunctions' we still have huge freedom to say what we want how we want to say it.

I like living in Western Europe. Why do my newspapers and radio insist that I shouldn't?

[Whealie]

I grew up in Belgium .

Er... that's it.

Sums it up

That is the case for the prosecution, M'Lud.

[alpslapper]

I like living in Western Europe. Why do my newspapers and radio insist that I shouldn't?

You are kidding, right?

Internet access for all so we cant avoid Craig's moaning and groaning even if we want to.

Mobile phones so my boss can get me 24 hours a day.

Free healthcare so I cant use the excuse I cant afford to see a doc when I want to throw a sickie.

Freedom of religion so I have no reason not to go to Divine Liturgy even when its hammering down outside and the nearest Greek Orthodox church is miles away.

Free education for my children so I end up taking MY annual leave when THEY are on holidays.

Free health and dental for the kids and free dental for the wife when she's pregnant so I can spend any free time I did actually have ferrying them to and fro from medical appointments.

And when Im not its to and from their afterschool and club activities most of which are free but some of which cost an arm and a leg. (see free medical care).

On a bike I can afford to run because I dont work for a dollar a day.

Unrestricted travel where I dont need the mayors or local generals permission to leave my area so no excuses for not flying the family whereever the hell they fancy going.

Fecking solicitors, lawyers, police, council, tax and customs bureaucrats that insist on doing everything properly so I cant bribe them even though I could afford to (see dollar a day).

This place is a friggin nightmare if you ask me