Thursday 23 September 2010

Reasons (not) to be cheerful

According to a survey, Ireland and the UK are the worst places to live in Europe:
The UK has the 4th highest age – 63.1 – at which people choose or can afford to take retirement, and one of the lowest holiday entitlements. Net household income in the UK is just £2,314 above the European average, compared with £10,000 above average last year, falling behind Ireland, the Netherlands and Denmark.
UK workers enjoy a week less holiday than the European average and three weeks less than the Spanish, while the UK's spend (as a percentage of GDP) on health and education is below the European average and UK food and diesel prices are the highest in Europe. Unleaded petrol, electricity, alcohol and cigarettes all cost more than the average across the continent.
Via. I don't believe every hastily-concocted "survey" in the news and would be happy give any reasoned rebuttal of this gloomy survey a good hearing. But not one like this:

A survey claims we are the worst place in Europe to live.

The Sun thinks the exact opposite.

From the Premier League to the X Factor, and from tandoori chicken to Newcastle Brown, we have Europe beat.

We have the finest scenery, the bravest Forces and the most talented workers. We even have Churchill the nodding dog.

We're not called GREAT Britain for nothing!
Via. Add the existence of that trivial, tiny-minded, spiteful, idiotic national embarrassment that calls itself "The Sun" to the list and the scales are decisively tipped in favour of emigration.

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