Clowns & Jokers

Stuck in the middle.... Left, right, centre. It's a mess out there.

Monday, March 13, 2006

One bedroom, S.E.11, £230,000


Im feeling uninspired at the moment. I was in the mood for a good debate today and wondered over to trusty ATW but even that doesn’t seem to get off the ground for me lately, i got the feeling today that by default being female and 'on the right' in the comment section meant my argument was 'letting the side down', ‘laughable’ or fatuous (this is usually coupled with more leftist clichés like ‘spitting’ ‘bile’ ‘bigot’, ‘racist’..oh and ‘hate’!). *lol!*. Grizzly Mama got it right when she simply suggested the commenter “kiss her ass”. Sometimes being direct is the best course of action! Shame it all kicked off so sourly though, given the topic was excellently raised and is so maddeningly serious (rape).

My mood isn’t helped by ‘house’ hunting. Nothing short of a cool quarter of a million will get you onto the property ladder in London with a reasonable sized property large enough to swing a rat in. Want to know why the (future tax paying) population is dwindling? It isn’t because us terrible career women are disinterested. Hah! Its because some are unable to find anybody other than a wet liberal with commitment difficulties to hook up with, or if you’re lucky enough to be a smug married you both work like crazy, often including weekends, always late into the evening and starting a family seems like a distant dream - along with the home needed to keep that happy family in. Meanwhile I walk past a wonderful centrally located council property, a whole lot better than the places weve been shown round of late, where every morning some carefree asylum mum and her happy little kids trip off to school safe in the knowledge they have a warm happy central London home paid for by the likes of me to come back to. Quite why they need to be centrally located whilst on benefits is beyond me. Surely those of us that work to keep this fantastic city going, and in turn fuel the rest of the country, should get the chance to own such a central property and be in work in five minutes flat. Instead of paying out half our salary on rent for the privilege, whilst the other half goes on bills, bills, more bills, taxes. And those that bleed you dry to feed their distorted view of how a fair multi-culti society should operate are usually some toffy nosed ‘terribly well read darling’ academic types who live in a 4 bedroomed mansion in bloody Hampstead (above left)

OK I know I shouldn’t ‘grumble’. Alex is here and happy in this country and working, ive a good job. But every so often ‘it’ gets to me, which is why I enjoyed this article. Id only correct her when she talks of middle classes. Eh? Oh you mean the new WORKING class, hard working UK loving Brazilian immigrants and all!

Anyway roll on the March for Free Expression. Roll on Spring!


  • How Labour Abuses the Middle Classes
  • 19 Comments:

    At Tuesday, 14 March, 2006, Blogger Alan said...

    Alison,

    I haven't been following your housing market lately, but I thought all the bargains were in Normandy, what with the Chunnel and all that. Anyway, I'm glad that "hate" is only a leftist cliche and no longer a problem in the real world. Happy Days!

     
    At Tuesday, 14 March, 2006, Blogger Grizzly Mama said...

    Very depressing - the housing market. It's nasty here, too. A quarter of a mil. or MORE to get just about any single home. The only thing we can consider is getting a house way, waaaaayyy out there with a horrible commute. I would prefer to live way out - but I would hate the commute.

    Hope things look brighter for you soon.

    After I posted my 'kiss my ass' I thought, 'Oh dear. Now I'm in trouble.' But I guess not. You held your own very well - sorry I was unable to offer anything articulate in our defense.

     
    At Tuesday, 14 March, 2006, Blogger Gavin said...

    I read your (and other peoples) comments on that thread last night, and I was sorry that you decided to take a break from commenting on ATW, but I can understand your reasons. I won't pass any remark on the person/people who pissed you off, cos I think its bad etiquette to say things about anyone behind their backs. I don't always agree with everything that DV and AMcC post, (mostly but not always) but I think ATW is an irresistible blog, simply due to the fact that between them, they manage something like 15 posts a day! (My God, do they work full time, I often wonder? How on earth do they find the time?) And because there are so many posts, there are always people reading it and commenting, and so it feels more like a chatroom than a blog by the likes of you or me. I admit it's fun writing a comment on there, knowing that within 10 minutes or so, someone will read it and reply. I hope you don't quit that site for good, because I find your opinions and comments there totally valid and worthy to be taken seriously.
    In the meantime, I'd say concentrate your efforts into posting here on your own blog. I remember reading that Scott Burgess (of The Daily Ablution) was interviewed by someone about how to make a blog successful and gain a wide readership, and he said something like "post something every day, just post, post, post". I commented to our mutual friend Dangerously Subversive Dad the other day, that I was thinking my blog was going nowhere and had no readers and I was considering chucking it in. Then I remembered what Scott said, and I thought, to heck with it, I'll just keep on going regardless. My take is different to his, and yours is different to mine, and Dave Vance has his own way too. I discovered ATW just as the Belfast blogger Jo was falling out with them, and so at first I thought she was probably an idiot, but just now I started reading her blog and I realised that, OK, although we probably disagree on many issues, she also has some good things to say. It's all good, everyone has something unique to say, and I feel a sense of empathy and friendship from listening and taking part in this whole blogging thing.
    So, anyway, I'm rambling on like always, my point is, don't ever think that your opinions are not valid, just because someone says so.
    PS, thanks for the link in your above comment. Much obliged.

     
    At Tuesday, 14 March, 2006, Anonymous Anonymous said...

    Re the tiny minority b/c on quite an old post I explained about our attempts to get into government housing - as offered to us, so its a hangover from that. The brand new social housing being erected around the corner in the city shouldnt just be for newly arrived immigrants, and a handful of key workers. If the house prices are market driven which they are then all first time buyers are important - for everybody. Since the government has already recognised that, my gripe was that they dont DO what they SAY and continue to squeeze us. The result being we, like many i know, cant afford to house/start a family as quickly as we would like - and birth rates drop. Without us paying taxes how do you suppose that fair and balanced market forces are created and protect all?

    But we'll get on with it. Somehow we will find our own way!

     
    At Tuesday, 14 March, 2006, Anonymous Anonymous said...

    Monica - it was definitely the best and only reposte needed at the time, i loved it! Im just a little tired of the style in the comments section at the mo, its a bit thought police, with no meaningful debate except on occasion. I dont mind debate but such patronising remarks at the outset like that & you just think oh fuck it. Ill leave it alone for a bit :)

     
    At Tuesday, 14 March, 2006, Anonymous Anonymous said...

    Amcd - i mean as used in the vein of 'hate site'..The bargains are in eastern Europe now...

    Thanks Tom, i think its an excellent site, dont agree with all either but do enjoy it. I think the debate used to be more robust w/ a little less point scoring tis all so I need a break for a bit. Being a bird, its the hormones you understand ;)

    Chas - so much space!

     
    At Tuesday, 14 March, 2006, Blogger Alan said...

    Alison,

    To pick up on something that Chas said, my wife and I have .75 acres and 2000 square feet in upstate New York that would still sell for under $200K today. Unfortunately, if we need medical care, we'll HAVE TO SELL!

    BTW, GWB is in town today to explain how the latest Medicare (health care for the elderly) screw up was really a good idea.

     
    At Tuesday, 14 March, 2006, Anonymous Anonymous said...

    Ive been meaning to post something on healthcare actually. My sister (whose blog is above Inside the Bubble) has more experience of US health care than I but it all sounded rather scary to me. Maybe now is as good a time to do so and id welcome everyones comments. Thing is i have to scrape the post off my old laptop which died (its on the desktop).

    I dont understand why the NY market is down, i thght any NY property would sell for a lot more?

     
    At Tuesday, 14 March, 2006, Blogger Alan said...

    Alsion,

    NY is actually a very large state, and I live 350 miles from the NYC metropolitan area. Many areas of the state (mine included) have shrinking economies that do not support inflated housing prices.

     
    At Tuesday, 14 March, 2006, Anonymous Anonymous said...

    Sorry to hear that Alan. I must say im not looking forward to getting into onto the property ladder.

     
    At Thursday, 16 March, 2006, Blogger Mike's America said...

    I can't believe how expensive houses are there. Back in 2000 I was in Cirencester and happened to look at real estate being offered by an estate agent. Unbelieveable what you would have to pay for a bit of not much.

    Considering how much you have to pay in taxes and for that wonderful cradle to grave socialist care, it's amazing anyone can afford the real estate.

    Oh, and here's a thought for Alan: move to England so you don't have to worry about health care...

    Oh, and I forgot to mention that the economy over here is humming along at a record clip. FIVE MILLION NEW JOBS created in less than three years.

    It seems there is only a recession in the states that voted for Gore and Kerry.

     
    At Thursday, 16 March, 2006, Blogger Wolfie said...

    I'm right with you on your disgruntlement at the frustrations of finding suitable housing in London. 60 years of post-war socialism has hammered the middle-classes into the ground in England; you can only afford a family if you are wealthy or living off the state. People like you and me are supporting the state at the expense of our own genetic future. Don't be fooled by the rhetoric of the economic fundamentalists, the market forces which have driven up the price of property has been engineered at the political level to line the pockets of the wealthy and empower the political machine - and you're getting that viewpoint from a right-wing, middle-class investment banker.

     
    At Thursday, 16 March, 2006, Anonymous Anonymous said...

    Ive just come back from a property viewing. Ex local authority. God it was embarrassing. I had a MAJOR attack of vertigo when i got out the lift and shimmied along the balcony to the flat. Great property, spacious (bastards! bastards!), decent. And amazing views over to the Eye and on to Westminster. Imagine the NYE parties in there. Great to get into the City and West End. But i cant do heights. Not like that. The wind whistled around the lift and balcony. I know i know, think of the investment potential. Olympics, Kings Cross Eurostar. Argh!

     
    At Thursday, 16 March, 2006, Anonymous Anonymous said...

    Mike - a visit from you is like a visit from the Grim Bloody Reaper! ;) Yes taxes are outrageous under socialists. Of course they are!

    And Wolfie (hello) is right.

    But come on, selling your house to pay for medicare if needed???

     
    At Thursday, 16 March, 2006, Anonymous Anonymous said...

    i think you need to somehow insist your wife goes to the doctor to get that checked out. Not sure if you can rule out any of the more 'sortable' causes listed here like blood sugar/stress? If this helps at all:

    http://www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk/en.aspx?articleId=389§ionId=10649

    Really hope all is ok...

     
    At Thursday, 16 March, 2006, Anonymous Anonymous said...

    i think you need to somehow insist your wife goes to the doctor to get that checked out. Not sure if you can rule out any of the more 'sortable' causes listed here like blood sugar/stress? If this helps at all:

    http://www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk/en.aspx?articleId=389§ionId=10649

    Really hope all is ok...

     
    At Friday, 17 March, 2006, Blogger Alison said...

    It wasnt hysterical, its really very scary when someone collapses like that. I hope all is ok.

     
    At Monday, 20 March, 2006, Anonymous Anonymous said...

    hi Alison, have you checked out http://www.housepricecrash.co.uk/forum/ ? Prices are crazy, no way can they stay like this in my opinion...

     
    At Monday, 20 March, 2006, Anonymous Anonymous said...

    No anon i hadnt and THANK YOU very much, very informative!

     

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