Big J

I think it's generally always been understood that the Conservatives are nasty, but they are financially prudent. A necessary evil. But with Truss's bonanza for the rich tax-cut giveaway, where is the prudency? It just leaves nasty.... I know I've never been the UKs cheerleader, but now I'm on the outside looking in, it seems more f*cked than ever. I genuinely have no idea how the public debt or deficit will ever be tackled. How can the government justify continuing to borrow on our children's future?

I really don't understand that perspective at all. It's only through seeing a variety of cultures, meeting a variety of people can one ever develop a broader understanding of (to some degree) and empathy for other people. I really feel that this would be no bad thing for everyone to aspire to. Our village here in Sweden is a real melting pot of people from all around the world. We're dog sitting for an Austrian/Indian couple over winter. I've been at the table tennis club this evening with my girls. Some of the kids were Syrian. I was chatting to a mum whose daughter was at the same gym class as my daughter. She's Swedish, but they lived in Dallas (he's American). On the way back from table tennis I picked up two massive bags of apples from a neighbour. He's Croatian, but used to live in London. I had tea and we waffled on a bit. My forestry business here is in partnership with a German friend. The list goes on... My point is that diversity of culture and experience makes life truly interesting. You don't have to travel the world, but to say that only local issues matter seems rather like burying your head in the sand.

It's rapidly heading towards the situation where there will be so many exemptions and exceptions to the immigration rules for shortage workers, that the UK might as well have freedom of movement. It will be freedom of movement in all but name, but strictly in one direction. What Brexit has done is effectively close the door on 27 different nations to the young of Britain. We are here in Sweden on my German passport. Given our modest financial position and my determination to continue being self employed, this is the only way that we're here. My wife (having only a British passport) has no right to live and work here except as my spouse. It's absolutely insane that this situation is still being defended. Doubly so given that the powers that be in the UK know that the population is effectively trapped and more and more policies are pushed through that target benefit at the rich whilst removing basic rights from the less wealthy. As others have said, being on the outside looking in gives a fresh perspective. Brexit is a mortal self-inflicted wound on Britain.

The locals think I'm mad for still swimming, but I'm in the lake every day. It was almost freezing this morning, but the lake is still fairly mild. Stunning mist clearing from the lake as I was in the water.

That is indeed the question! I can only assume that given your user name that you only go for number 2s? 😊

Cooling down here in SE Sweden. Highs of 16c today, with a bit of a northerly breeze and generally sunny. We've had some days with showers, but it's only amounted to 17mm so far this month. Water temperature in the lake is sub 15 now, but I haven't measured it for a week or so. It's certainly chillier when diving in. Still haven't missed a day since we moved here

I empathise, but.... Please understand that (rightly or wrongly - you can have your own opinion on that) the Queen meant a great deal to a huge number of people. Not just in the UK but around the world too. She served the people for longer than most of us have been alive and was still working until 2 days before her death. Millions of people wish to pay their respects. This is a once in a lifetime event and isn't something that is going to be made a habit of. Please try to respect the depth of feeling that others have on this matter. Making jokes about someone's death is pretty distasteful. Doubly so when they were loved by so many.

How National Geographic photographed Queen Elizabeth II WWW.NATIONALGEOGRAPHIC.COM Exclusive photos and fond memories from our photographers reveal a rarely seen side of the storied monarch. A touching and human tribute from the National Geographic, from some of those that documented her life.

The Meredith and Eyre trailer was really good. Solid as a rock and very stable. Murray with the Logbullet in Wales has it now. Slackmagirdle is his Arbtalk name, I think?

I love a good thunderstorm ⛈️

We've had a run of really wonderful weather. Very cold mornings (down to 2-3c) with a thick fog coming off the lakes. By 08:00 to 09:00 it burns off and it's stunning for the rest of the day.

Your new Prime Minister! 😆

Is it not a case of society wanting to have it's cake and eat it? We all want massive state support in the bad times but aren't prepared to pay the higher taxes required to allow this in the good times. I have no problem with state support, but you just can't have it both ways. It's a given in Sweden that you pay more tax. But equally, everyone I've spoken to about the coming winter (and high electricity prices) just expects that the government will refund the difference back. So you pay it out initially, but get it back again after. How does society see this ending? With just the interest on UK national debt expected to reach £100,000,000,000 (that's £100 billion) this year, is it any wonder that there is nothing left in the pot for essential services? How can the individual be expected to practice financial prudence when so many successive governments have failed so very badly in this regard?

The building companies use their undue and unfair influence on politicians to ensure that they aren't mandated to build anything more than the minimum. They'll claim that there isn't market demand for green technologies, but it's bollocks. They don't offer them, so what choice does the consumer have? The house industry in the UK is something akin to having the technology to build Teslas but offering nothing more than Morris Minors. It's utterly ridiculous. I'll state again - our 1957 house in Sweden (with original, albeit fair sophisticated for the time, windows) uses 10 times less heat per square metre than our 1860s/1930s farm cottage in Devon. And that's despite a Devon winter averaging 9-11c warmer than here. There's a house four doors away that with it's rooftop solar array and extra insulation costs £800 a year to run, combined heat and power. For 210 square metres.