49 posts tagged “europe”

Currently reading this book, will post a review shortly.

An interesting article appeared in the Metro today, (Tuesday May 29th 2007), regarding how more immigrants from Poland, Slovakia, Lithuania, Ukraine and Bulgaria are wanting to stay here in the United Kingdom. According to the article out of 333 participants at the beginning of 2004 only 6% wanted to stay for more than an 18 month period, however, by the end of the year this had risen to 29%. In addition, more women than men wanted to stayhere in the United Kingdom.

What about the social outlook of the immigrants?

According to the Metro only 33 % knew how to register with a doctor and 54% had received information about their conditional immigration. Housing also appears to be an issue with 44% of those questioned were living in one room with somebody else other than their partner.

What are these migrants doing vocationally?

According to the Metro, in a different article, the agriculture sector in the UK is suffering, with the strawberry crop not being pick and therefore is being left to rot in the field. So where are the immigrants going to work?  In my hometown of Wakefield the signs are there, for example, that Poles are starting to open their own shops, like Deli Polski. The success of the Polish immigrants is not going unoticed at home neither, as is show in this story which was carried in the Warsaw Voice.

I'd love to hear your comments on these facts figures and developments....

For more information on research carried out by the Jospeh Rowntree Foundation visit the website at http://www.jrf.org.uk/knowledge/findings/socialpolicy/0226.asp

Although it has been a while since I made it out to Szoborpark. I do love the Communist Period statues. However, not what they represent....

The Dacia cars of the late seventies and early eighties seem miles away now. However, with the Renault they look set for a return to the streets of Western Europe. According to the BBC. Not sure if I would want one.....However, looking at the quote from the BBC they are obviously becoming more and more popular in France and also in Germany. Saying that lets see how well they do here in the United Kingdom and you can bet your bottom dollar that the Logan will be appearing on the BBC Flagship programme "Top Gear" in the near future.

A really nice video showing the sights and sounds of the Czech Republic. Alas, I will probably switch the Eurovision Song Contest off and do something more interesting and look at the songs when its more convenient...enjoy the video that I found on You Tube......

The Czech Government now takes control of  St Vitus Cathedral despite the views expressed by Topolánek  on the 21st February. "I do not mind the cathedral being owned by the church just as I do not mind the cathedral owned by the state. I have also said that the church would not be a bad owner of the cathedral," Topolanek said. According to the Prague Dail Monitor.

Meanwhile, The Prague Post reported on the 28th February

"Court decisions over the years have tossed the ownership of St. Vitus, the architectural center point of Prague Castle, back and forth between the two institutions. But a Feb. 16 Supreme Court ruling reversed a lower court's October decision to hand the cathedral keys to the Catholic Church.    
Zderčík said he plans to take the issue back to the Czech courts and, as a last resort, would consider going before the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg, France. He added that it's too early to see how the Supreme Court decision will affect the hundreds of other church properties in the Czech Republic for which legal ownership is still unresolved".

Personally I think the Church should control the Cathedral, with the help from the Government when required. However, it's wrong to intervene in eclessastical matters, in some ways this mirrors almost the purging of churches as happened in England hundreds of years ago!

Your thoughts and comments are appreciated.

Although, only 80 people showed up for this protest, more telling is the fact that local's did not take part. The fact is this is a European wide issue and protests against it have been held at various locations with greater numbers. The locals may probably see this as a chance to gain extra business locally. Perhaps, the local population too feel a sense of resignation to the situation.The fact is the relationship between Europe/US and Russia is perhaps not as good as it could be, especially in the light of the energy crisis, so are the bases a good idea?

A really nice son. However, when watching the video kinda reminds me of the enya videos from back in the 80@s your thoughts......... Alas you won't be able to watch it embedded on my blog but it will direct you to You Tube to see the video..... just double click on the video picture to open the video....