What bemused you today?

[ABERS]

According to a poll by IPSO MORI 71% of UK residents think there are too many immigrants in the country.

Apparently the other 29% are immigrants! 

[Reinardina]

According to a poll by IPSO MORI 71% of UK residents think there are too many immigrants in the country.

Apparently the other 29% are immigrants! 

I'm an immigrant! When I married my (English) husband in 1984, he needed  to  get something called a 'no impediment to marrying an alien.' And worse, I still hold my Dutch nationality!

It's funny though, when you talk to second and third generation immigrants (who probably hold British passports), they're all sounding off against the new wave of immigrants.

I personally have no problems with immigrants who 'fit in, ' either here, or in my native Holland. Problems occur when 'they' try to change the habits, laws and customs of their host country, to turn it into a second ... whatever country they came from.

Immigrant children should be 'thrown in, at the deep end,' and attend English (and only English) speaking schools. Children adapt extremely fast, and should not normally have problems. Once the language is in place, it is easier to be accepted and to be found acceptable.

(Personal opinion only!)

[Oldboy]

With the might dollar downgraded from triple AAA's and the markets in freefall, we are all doomed. 

On the brighter side, today is the happiest day of the year. It's August, a Saturday and between 18:00 to 19:00 should be the blissful hour. 

[hevans]

I'm an immigrant! When I married my (English) husband in 1984, he needed  to  get something called a 'no impediment to marrying an alien.' And worse, I still hold my Dutch nationality!

As did I to marry in NL. Had to go to the Vreemelingendienst, despite having the verblijfsvergunning for years. The Wife (to be at the time) had to swear we weren't getting married for visa purposes. All very bureaucratic and tedious.

I personally have no problems with immigrants who 'fit in, ' either here, or in my native Holland. Problems occur when 'they' try to change the habits, laws and customs of their host country, to turn it into a second ... whatever country they came from.

My problems come from the incessant lecturing here about fitting in. The kids go to the local school, speak better cloggie than English , celebrate the 5th Dec as well as Christmas (although we've been told off numerous times about celebrating Christmas as the presents for the kids apparently cause problems for the other households where the Christmas gift giving tradition isn't followed).

I don't see why I should become Dutch, as I'm proud to be English. I don't expect the natives to change their own traditions, but I do expect them to respect mine. It all comes down to tolerance and mutual respect...something that is very much in short supply since the rise of Geert Wijlders.

Oh, and I'd dearly love them to import some mountains or hills to make this landscape interesting. 

H.

[greypoint]

Looter hauled before the magistrates for theft... sentenced to one days imprisonment...already served the one day in custody...walks out of court....that'll teach them to run riot 

.....must make the police disheartened!

[Mick]

Looter hauled before the magistrates for theft... sentenced to one days imprisonment...already served the one day in custody...walks out of court....that'll teach them to run riot 

.....must make the police disheartened!

Ridiculous isn't it..  Wonder how much that process cost from start to finish.   I believe there's now over a thousand people been arrested now, so a lot of them will face the same sort of non punishment.   

(full wrath of the law, my ar$e).   

[spinner]

Looter hauled before the magistrates for theft... sentenced to one days imprisonment...already served the one day in custody...walks out of court....that'll teach them to run riot 

.....must make the police disheartened!

Wow, sounds like Canada. 

[anglefire]

It's my last day at work tomorrow and start a weeks garden leave - but looks like I'll have to work at least monday to complete some jobs.

[ABERS]

Apparently the Olympic Cycle Road Race Trial went OK on Sunday, leaving total chaos in its wake traffic wise.
Had to make an 8 mile detour to watch a local football match, whereas on a normal Sunday the trip would have been just 2 miles!

[Hinfrance]

You're not the only one to be inconvenienced Alan. Some friends of our had to make huge traffic clogged detours for the whole weekend just to get in and out of their little town.

The way things are going I think we might have to open an overspill camp site to accommodate all of our English friends desperate to escape the hell of the Olympics  .

[skellum]

You're not the only one to be inconvenienced Alan. Some friends of our had to make huge traffic clogged detours for the whole weekend just to get in and out of their little town.

The way things are going I think we might have to open an overspill camp site to accommodate all of our English friends desperate to escape the hell of the Olympics  .

Another plus point for living up north   

[ABERS]

Now I know we're doomed!
Watched a police conference on the lunchtime news and on the backing boards behind the spokesman amongst other symbols was the exhortation to 'Follow Us on Twitter and Facebook'.
And there was Teresa May spouting out this morning about 'better use of police time'. What a farce!

[Reinardina]

I'm an immigrant! When I married my (English) husband in 1984, he needed  to  get something called a 'no impediment to marrying an alien.' And worse, I still hold my Dutch nationality!

As did I to marry in NL. Had to go to the Vreemelingendienst, despite having the verblijfsvergunning for years. The Wife (to be at the time) had to swear we weren't getting married for visa purposes. All very bureaucratic and tedious.

I personally have no problems with immigrants who 'fit in, ' either here, or in my native Holland. Problems occur when 'they' try to change the habits, laws and customs of their host country, to turn it into a second ... whatever country they came from.

My problems come from the incessant lecturing here about fitting in. The kids go to the local school, speak better cloggie than English , celebrate the 5th Dec as well as Christmas (although we've been told off numerous times about celebrating Christmas as the presents for the kids apparently cause problems for the other households where the Christmas gift giving tradition isn't followed).

I don't see why I should become Dutch, as I'm proud to be English. I don't expect the natives to change their own traditions, but I do expect them to respect mine. It all comes down to tolerance and mutual respect...something that is very much in short supply since the rise of Geert Wijlders.

Oh, and I'd dearly love them to import some mountains or hills to make this landscape interesting. 

H.

Only 'caught' this today!

I thought the Dutch were more and more giving presents at Christmas? Or is that only the adults? I've been out of the country for more than 25 years and am a bit out of touch. Your kids are lucky to have both 'Sinterklaas' and Christmas presents.

Didn't realise we ( the Dutch) were becoming intolerant towards English people. A friend of mine was married to an Englishman and I don't think he ever had any problems. Must admit though, that I don't know much about Geert Wilders and his influence. When I'm visiting Holland, politics is hardly ever on the agenda.

Of course you don't have to become Dutch if you don't want to. I'm not becoming English for the same reason: proud to be Dutch, in my case. Added advantage for a woman is, that as a Dutch citizen, I remain myself, ie keep my own (maiden) name for official purposes, like passport etc. In England I am officially Mrs Husbands Name, my old self has totally disappeared.

I thought we had arranged the landscape quite nicely, and very practical. Mostly flat, to make it easy to get around on your bicycle and the hills, arranged round the edges. Zuid Limburg and towards the German border.
Mountains we don't really offer, apart from the ones that used to be molehills! 

[spinner]

Of course you don't have to become Dutch if you don't want to. I'm not becoming English for the same reason: proud to be Dutch, in my case. Added advantage for a woman is, that as a Dutch citizen, I remain myself, ie keep my own (maiden) name for official purposes, like passport etc. In England I am officially Mrs Husbands Name, my old self has totally disappeared.

Please don't take this as a personal attack, I'm Scottish by birth, I'm very proud of my Scot's heritage (as you could see by my recent uploads). But I'm a proud Canadian now. I took my Cdn citizenship the very first moment I could, as a legal adult. I don't understand why people immigrate to other countries and then retain their citizenship.

And I can't abide people in Canada who identify themselves as, Italian, or Croatian etc. who were born here (Canada) and likely never set foot outside of the country.

I enjoy annoying my children by pointing out to them that I'm Canadian by choice, unlike them. At the same time I am extremely proud of the fact my kids can trace their Canadian ancestry back to United Empire Loyalists (people who fled the U.S. after the revolution). My kids can trace their ancestry in the colonies back to the 1700's.

Sorry for the rant, nothing personal. 

[Hinfrance]

I'd become a French citizen if it weren't for the paperwork