# A passionate Spanish defence of LONDON



## VansTripp (Sep 29, 2004)

Ning said:


> Either you're a Brits trying to look like a foreigner or you're a Spaniard who's just brainwashed by the British TV. Firstly you're just too much focused on Paris and the French not to be a Brits. A real Spinard (or Italian, German, etc) wouldn't be so focused about Paris. Secondly, you've just registred on this forum and you seem to be very aware of the common feeling as if you were registred for several months... Finaly little sentence like "London feels like the capital of the WORLD, not only England." are just too funny.


Damn, What's special thing with Canada? Look at your avator.


----------



## london-b (Jul 31, 2004)

great prairie said:


> well said


This thread is troll magnet, great(****)prairie has arrived.


----------



## great prairie (Jul 18, 2005)

I offer a different opinion and got called a ****....


----------



## Pobbie (Jul 16, 2005)

eddyk said:


> Pobbie you reading this?


Yes, what's your point?


----------



## london-b (Jul 31, 2004)

great prairie said:


> I offer a different opinion and got called a ****....


Yes you did, not because of a different opinion, just because in general you troll as much as a 15 year old wanks.


----------



## great prairie (Jul 18, 2005)

:|

*LONDON IS THE GREATEST PLACE IN THE WHOLE GODAMN UNIVERSE*


----------



## Sitback (Nov 1, 2004)

I like London it's the bestest bestest bestest.


----------



## london-b (Jul 31, 2004)

great prairie said:


> :|
> 
> *LONDON IS THE GREATEST PLACE IN THE WHOLE GODAMN UNIVERSE*


I do know that.


----------



## Sitback (Nov 1, 2004)

great prairie said:


> :|
> 
> *LONDON IS THE GREATEST PLACE IN THE WHOLE GODAMN UNIVERSE*


You knows it makes sense!


----------



## great prairie (Jul 18, 2005)

see what I mean I like London put the posters are completely jackasses


----------



## pricemazda (Feb 14, 2004)

then don't bother posting Great Prairie.

Some guy has bothered to write quite a lengthy post about anti-london trolls and what happens anti-london trolls flock to thread likes flies around shit.


----------



## Sitback (Nov 1, 2004)

And you're not? Go away little boy.


----------



## Ning (Jul 18, 2004)

great prairie said:


> I offer a different opinion and got called a ****....


dont worry, I understand you. If you might dare not to agree with the Brits, you're targetted by dozen of them and they all hammer that you're either a troll or it's an evil conspiracy again the mighty English Empire (which collapsed a century ago but whatever).


----------



## Pobbie (Jul 16, 2005)

The English Empire? The closest to such a thing was the occupation of France during the Hundred Years War. :?


----------



## ElUnicoSol (Aug 24, 2005)

Hehehe!

I can see things are more serious here than I was thinking. Ning...I simply said I like London! Even this infuriates you!! Does this help: Without doubt, Paris is one of the greatest cities on earth. I never said any different. For me, London is just a little better that is all. There is no need to be upset.

I am Spanish. LOL...it's so impossible in your mind that a Spaniard might compare London favourably with Paris?? Of course I mentioned Paris. It's the best comparison and the 'other' truly great enormous city of Europe. This isn't sign that I am secretly English or have been brainwashed by the evil BBC! To be honest I don't notice the English talking much about Paris...only if they go there for the weekend and of course the Olympics decision before. So...what's your point?

I don't really understand your other problems...that I have been here for longer and am an alias? Well, no...I spent a couple of hours just reading these forums last night. Most are interesting and good but I found a lot of criticism o London (and other places...not just London) and even an entire anti-London thread...so I thought I would repair the balance and defend London. That's it.


----------



## great prairie (Jul 18, 2005)

HEY JACKASSES READ THE FIRST PAGE I STATED MY OPINION AND YOU FUCKING TROLLED ME


----------



## BondStreetBum (Aug 23, 2005)

There is a lot of rivalry between London and Paris.

I am British and I would like to say:

*J'adore Paris!!!!*

Is that allowed??????  

I prefer London, naturellement, but anything good I say about Paris is sincerely meant. I don't think El Unico Sol was being anti-Paris anyway...he said it was 'lovely' and 'splendid' and made other positive remarks.

I thought I was going to Paris tomorrow but it has been changed to Brussels, which is not as good. :runaway: 

*Ducks for cover as a million furious Belgians flame my ass*


----------



## nick_taylor (Mar 7, 2003)

Ning's not too strong with history or geographic terms as his previous accounts on this forum lay testament to that! Chronological events aren't his strong point either - the *British* Empire also wasn't its strongest/largest till around 1920 (thats 85 years ago for Ning's reference) when it controlled some 36,666,630km² (the largest empire of all-time). Also technically the *British* Empire 'finished' when Hong Kong was ceded back to China under the agreement that it would be a SAR in 1997 (thats 8 years ago for Ning, unless you have a lifespan of a dog, that might translate into 100 years!). 

Britain though still controls territories across the world in the Indian Ocean (British Indian Ocean Territory), Mediterranean Sea (Akrotiri and Dhekelia, Cyprus), Pacific Ocean (Pitcairn Island), North (Bermuda) + South Atlantic Ocean (Falkland Islands). The *British* Empire might not be around, but the "sun never sets" quite literally on Britain and its territories to this date. I would like to note also that close connections remain in the form of the Commonwealth (approx 2bn members) and even the mighty Charles de Gaulle noted on several occasions that he wished France was part of the Commonwealth!


----------



## Ning (Jul 18, 2004)

Lol breaking news Charles de Gaulle wished France was in the british commonwealth. :hahaha:
What next ? Chirac wishing France is the 51th State ? :rofl:

This is the best thread ever :cheers: Never so laugh.


----------



## DonQui (Jan 10, 2005)

Bahhh, ning, supongo que tienes celoso porque Londres es mas importante que Paris, y, te moleste porque la ciudad del escritor, Madrid, sera mas importante que Paris en unas decadas gracias a la verdad mundialismo de la lengua espanola.

VIVA LONDRES!!!.


----------



## Ning (Jul 18, 2004)

DonQui said:


> Bahhh, ning, supongo que tienes celoso porque Londres es mas importante que Paris, y, te moleste porque la ciudad del escritor, Madrid, sera mas importante que Paris en unas decadas gracias a la verdad mundialismo de la lengua espanola.
> 
> VIVA LONDRES!!!.


I've never claimed that Paris is more important than London. My point is that New York is the only capital of the world (ie : influance everywhere in the world). London is just the capital of the British commonweath and Paris the capital of the french commonweath ("francophonie"). Not or very few influence outside of their commonweath. Globalisation comes to late for Madrid to become a major city : Asia is growing too fast and the capital of the spanish speaking world will probably be an American city (like for English speaking language).


----------



## pottebaum (Sep 11, 2004)

Great post, ElUnicoSol--except for the 8th economy in the world thing.  That's not true.

It's really sad what this thread has turned into, though. Both sides are making themselves look like idiots.


----------



## BondStreetBum (Aug 23, 2005)

Ning only comes to fight, right? I said nice things about Paris and the boy blanked me.


----------



## Ning (Jul 18, 2004)

BondStreetBum said:


> Ning only comes to fight, right? I said nice things about Paris and the boy blanked me.


I don't care about Paris, I'm Alsacian!


----------



## Pobbie (Jul 16, 2005)

pottebaum said:


> It's really sad what this thread has turned into, though. Both sides are making themselves look like idiots.


I agree. Shall we forge a non-alignment pact, Nehru-style?


----------



## BondStreetBum (Aug 23, 2005)

Ning said:


> I don't care about Paris, I'm Alsacian!


A doggie? How sweet! :cheers: 

Well you should care about Paris. It rocks. I drove through Strasbourg with my family when I was 14. It was....ehm...pretty!

No, no worries. YOu said earlier that the Brits are automatically down on Paris and I was pointing out that we are not. Don't confuse The Sun with the whole of the UK.

(Merkel and Sarkozy? Fvck, Blair's gonna come in his pants when he sees your signature  )


----------



## great prairie (Jul 18, 2005)

London gets trolled because a few of their forumers are trolls themselves, and no one wants to admit it.


----------



## Ning (Jul 18, 2004)

great prairie said:


> London gets trolled because a few of their forumers are trolls themselves, and no one wants to admit it.


I fully agree.


----------



## pricemazda (Feb 14, 2004)

Actually Ning Charles De Gaulle agreed to a permanent union of the UK and France during WW2. He also owes his existence as a French hero to the British govt who plucked him out of relative obscurity because Churchill liked him. France owes its UN security council seat to the UK as well. 

However, lets stay on topic here people. Someone wrote a thread about why he thinks London is great, lets not get into another trolling thread.

Vive L'entente Cordiale


----------



## Ning (Jul 18, 2004)

pricemazda said:


> Actually Ning Charles De Gaulle agreed to a permanent union of the UK and France during WW2. He also owes his existence as a French hero to the British govt who plucked him out of relative obscurity because Churchill liked him. France owes its UN security council seat to the UK as well.


Yeah that why De Gaulle was so angry that he vetoed UK EU membership 2 times...


----------



## BondStreetBum (Aug 23, 2005)

great prairie said:


> London gets trolled because a few of their forumers are trolls themselves, and no one wants to admit it.


But it makes most of us who are not sad. Seems to be a load of Brits on all the various parts of these forums and I don't see that many trolling. But then I'm noo.


----------



## Pobbie (Jul 16, 2005)

^^exactly.


----------



## pottebaum (Sep 11, 2004)

I think what gets the Brits in trouble is that they complain about the "anti-Brits" so much..not to mention you're so quick to throw the label on anyone that walks by.

Really, guys, it gets old.


----------



## great prairie (Jul 18, 2005)

BondStreetBum said:


> But it makes most of us who are not sad. Seems to be a load of Brits on all the various parts of these forums and I don't see that many trolling. But then I'm noo.


There are lots of great uk forumers though you guys just aren't as loud. UK trolls are some of the loudest on here, they love to hide behind London(earlybird!!!).


----------



## Pobbie (Jul 16, 2005)

^^EarlyBird, are you mad? He thinks Manchester should be capital of the Universe! :crazy:


----------



## vertigosufferer (Aug 20, 2005)

London is a Global City, like New York, Paris, Toyko and a few other's that escape my knowledge at present...

I don't see what the problem is, with being proud and passionate about it??


----------



## great prairie (Jul 18, 2005)

Earlybird is UK forumer and will defend the UK using Manchester or London and he trolls worse then I do.

My first post(for which I was called a ****), stated that London, NYC, Dubai, Toronto and some other cities had these problems, I don't think Paris or Toyko does which is kinda strange.


----------



## pottebaum (Sep 11, 2004)

There's absolutely nothing wrong with being proud of London, vertigo! It's an amazing city.

BTW: I don't want to bring this thread even more off-topic...but have any of you seen Martha? I miss her so.


----------



## Pobbie (Jul 16, 2005)

I though Martha Stewart was free now? :?


----------



## pottebaum (Sep 11, 2004)

Pobbie Rarr said:


> I though Martha Stewart was free now? :?


Oh, she did her time in prison...and began living in my avatar. But now she's gone! I don't know where she is...

I want my M-diddy back!


----------



## Quezalcoatl26 (Apr 19, 2005)

> GM if Paris has so many cities than each one can't have a big population or size considering the population of the UK and France is similar. Maybe you class towns as cities over there?


 You need the UK to match France, England is may I remind you 47 million people.


----------



## great prairie (Jul 18, 2005)

I thought the UK was around 60 million~

according to CIA factbook it is..

http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/uk.html


----------



## nick_taylor (Mar 7, 2003)

GM said:


> Are you deliberatly stupid or do you play the ignorant just to try to piss off the French posters ?
> "London as a city is growing at a faster rate than an entire region of France)."
> Actually, London as a city is almost as big as the Île-de-France region.
> France has 36,000 cities whereas UK has only some hundreds. Therefore comparaisons between French cities and UK cities are irrelevant if you compare according to the cities boundaries.
> I know you know that, Nick. But you are just trying, one more time, to keep your title of "King of the bad faith".


Time for the slaughter...

*Île-de-France*
10,952,011 (2004)
12,011km²

*London*
7,421,228 (2005)
1,579km²

*Difference*
32.2%
7.6x larger in land area

So no London is neither as big as the Île-de-France region either in terms of (a massive) area or population. At least do some research into your own regions before lashing out at me. It only goes to show that London as a city is growing at the same rate as an entire French region - something far worse in showing that Paris is like a museum city! I can only assume though that your title is "King of the idiots"?





GM said:


> I don't think so. When was the Great fire of London ? in the 1600's I believe ?
> Actually most of Paris' urban landscape dates from the 1860-1914. Not so ancient. There are not so many buildings in Paris who are anterior to the 19th century.


Is this someone trying to state that Paris has fewer historical buildings than London (even due to 1666 and the Blitz) due to Haussmann?


----------



## pricemazda (Feb 14, 2004)

Maybe a Museum City is a bit harsh and not very diplomatic. But i remember after the Olympics announcement in the news and by French commentators they were talking about the 'deep malaise' in Paris and France. 

I remember reading things about that for some French people they look across the channel and can't work out the success we are having at the moment. The long term economic problems in France compared to our near full employment when the french social model is meant to provide secure employment. London is rapidly becoming the economic and financial capital of Europe while Paris is losing its love of life. It seems London has been buzzing and booming for over 10 years now with paris in the doldrums for the same length of time. It seems all the major projects are happening in London and not Paris whether the new East London Line, new skyscrapers, new stadia. Maybe with a change of President (hopefully, sarkozy) will shake France up again. It seems that Paris and France is stubborn and resistant to change clinging on to the safe world they have lived in for so long. 

Hence why some have called Paris a museum city, living off past glories and stubbonly refusing to change. 

Having said all of the above this thread is about London not Paris.


----------



## Quezalcoatl26 (Apr 19, 2005)

pricemazda said:


> Maybe a Museum City is a bit harsh and not very diplomatic. But i remember after the Olympics announcement in the news and by French commentators they were talking about the 'deep malaise' in Paris and France.
> 
> I remember reading things about that for some French people they look across the channel and can't work out the success we are having at the moment. The long term economic problems in France compared to our near full employment when the french social model is meant to provide secure employment. London is rapidly becoming the economic and financial capital of Europe while Paris is losing its love of life. It seems London has been buzzing and booming for over 10 years now with paris in the doldrums for the same length of time. It seems all the major projects are happening in London and not Paris whether the new East London Line, new skyscrapers, new stadia. Maybe with a change of President (hopefully, sarkozy) will shake France up again. It seems that Paris and France is stubborn and resistant to change clinging on to the safe world they have lived in for so long.
> 
> ...


ROFLMAO. You guys suffer from a chronic inferiority complex, living in the shadow of Paris is a sad thing, no matter how hard you try. London will only be better than Paris in the eyes of a londoner and Englishman anyone else will think otherwise. Yet you surely know in your heart France is better than England and that since the dawn of time. By the way your economic success isn't much a success (growing at 2.1% lol) and selling out the country to foreigners and having a macdonald culture is shortsighted. Once China is full on track, foreign investors owning your country will move elsewhere. Guess who would be laughing at the English disaster. You sell even your last car maker to foreigners.  A disaster in the making. The UK no longer has lost it's edge, english companies are being own one by one by foreigners. HHahahha the disaster will be fun :cheers:


----------



## Quezalcoatl26 (Apr 19, 2005)

great prairie said:


> I thought the UK was around 60 million~
> 
> according to CIA factbook it is..
> 
> http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/uk.html


Hmmm, That what I said you need several countries to match one country. France still have more people and population growing much faster.

France:60,656,178 
France and overseas territory: 62
Population net increase: 0.37%
Fertility: as lately from 1.85
Birth rate: 12.15 births/1,000 population 
Death rate: 9.08 deaths/1,000 population 


UK:60,441,457 
England: 47 million
Population net growth rate: 0.28% (thats not because birth rate but migration)
Birth rate:10.78 births/1,000 population 
Death rate: 10.78 births/1,000 population 

We have not only much higher birth rate (from the french) but also lower death rate, although our migration is rather low, we still have a greater french increase whereas you have a greater foreigners increase whle the English native population is shrinking.


----------



## pricemazda (Feb 14, 2004)

*England population tops 50m mark*

*The number of people living in England has risen above the 50 million mark for the first time, official figures say.*

The Office of National Statistics also said the UK's population rose 0.5% in mid-2004 to 59.8m.

The populations of England, Wales and Northern Ireland were all 0.5% higher in 2004 than in 2003 while the number of people in Scotland rose by 0.4%.

The ONS said around two-thirds of the UK's rise was down to migration and a third was from births exceeding deaths.

ONS spokesman David Bradbury said that in England, 111, 800 of its 238,00 population rise was made up of "natural changes" caused by births being more than deaths.

*Migration's influence*

In the UK as a whole, where the population rose by 281,000 people, just 27% - or 76,200 - was caused by natural changes.

Mr Bradbury said the majority of the UK's rise had been caused by migration.

"It means more people are coming into the country than are leaving and that has been the pattern causing population growth within the UK for some time," he said.


UK's Estimated Population
England - 50.1 million
Scotland - 5.1 million
Wales - 2.9 million
Northern Ireland 1.7 million

"It includes a lot of British people who are coming back into the UK."

The ONS research also revealed the UK's elderly population was still growing.

The number of people aged 85 and over jumped from 873,300 in 1991 to 1,111,600 in 2004.

This age group now accounts for 1.9% of the population, and 71% of it is made up of women.


----------



## pricemazda (Feb 14, 2004)

So clearly you are wrong on many counts.

And while you say that we 'will see a greater foreigner increase' the point is the peoplem arriving in the UK are becoming British, they aren't 'foreigners' as you put it.

You are also being very disingenous with your figures. 

How much of France's population growth comes from the overseas departments? 

How much comes from France's 10% north african population? If you seperate off UK immigrant growth then the same should apply to France.

But WHAT THE HELL DOES POPULATION HAVE TO DO WITH THIS THREAD.


----------



## Quezalcoatl26 (Apr 19, 2005)

> So clearly you are wrong on many counts.
> 
> And while you say that we 'will see a greater foreigner increase' the point is the peoplem arriving in the UK are becoming British, they aren't 'foreigners' as you put it.
> 
> ...


 Hahaha, it is you that is wrong on all count. My only mistake was about the population of england. The BBC is full of mistake when it comes to demography. 63% of the increase if from migration only 27%, so the largest input from foreigners.

As for France there are 3.7 million muslim (L'express) or 4.1 million (source mosque of Paris) of diverse origin, the majority being north african. Metropolitan France is counted separately from overseas. Overseas France growing at rate of up to 2-3%. So tell me where you get the 10% of french population is from north africa. LOL, in 20 years mate, the English will be a minority whereas local french women still has the record for european fertility just after the Irish.


----------



## Quezalcoatl26 (Apr 19, 2005)

Yes population has every to do with the thread, a declining country and hence cities are depoendent on the population. Larger population, more consumption, larger cities better economy and more manpower. Migration not taken in consideration, natural growth is an important measure of whch country is declining.

Here some statistics for you about France

Number of birth in 2004: 797, 400 (compare to the UK 707,000)
Number of death in 2004: 518,000 (UK higher infant mortality etc 603,000)
Net natural increase: 279,000 (UK 107,000 not 76K as you wrongly claim) More 200% faster than the UK
Net increase with migration: 389K (UK at 277K). Less than 30% of population increase in France is from migration whereas more than 60% of increase in the UK is from migration. There is a gradual process in which foreigners are replacing the english. 

70% is from local french women.

Source
http://www.statistics.gov.uk/cci/nugget.asp?id=950

http://www.insee.fr/fr/ffc/docs_ffc/IP1004.pdf


----------



## wjfox (Nov 1, 2002)

Quezalcoatl26 said:


> ROFLMAO. You guys suffer from a chronic inferiority complex, living in the shadow of Paris is a sad thing, no matter how hard you try. London will only be better than Paris in the eyes of a londoner and Englishman anyone else will think otherwise. Yet you surely know in your heart France is better than England and that since the dawn of time. By the way your economic success isn't much a success (growing at 2.1% lol) and selling out the country to foreigners and having a macdonald culture is shortsighted. Once China is full on track, foreign investors owning your country will move elsewhere. Guess who would be laughing at the English disaster. You sell even your last car maker to foreigners.  A disaster in the making. The UK no longer has lost it's edge, english companies are being own one by one by foreigners. HHahahha the disaster will be fun :cheers:


Just released from a month in the brig, and already you're trolling. What a surprise... :|


----------



## Quezalcoatl26 (Apr 19, 2005)

anyway I think both the UK and France have a some bright future. While the rest of european population is declining, it amases me that those countries still has great increase in population. France of course growingg faster.


----------



## GM (Feb 29, 2004)

nick-taylor said:


> Time for the slaughter...
> 
> *Île-de-France*
> 10,952,011 (2004)
> ...


You are so "abruti". It becomes funny.

For your information, population in ïle-de-France is concentred around the agglomération parisienne :

Ile de France :
11,4 millions d'habs in 12001 Km²

Agglomération parisienne :
10,03 millions d'habs in 2700 Km²

Paris+inner suburbs (92+93+94) :
6 164 418 habs (census of 1999) in 762 km²

A lot of land in Île-de-France remain rural. And again, it's highly irrelevant to want to compare the growth of London (1579 km²) and the growth of Paris (105 km²). But you know already that. If you want to compare the growth of London (7,4 mil. in 1579 km²) and the growth of Paris, it's more accurate to take either the agglomération parisienne (10,03 mil. in 2700 km²) or Paris+inner suburbs (6,2 mil. in 762 km²).


----------



## pricemazda (Feb 14, 2004)

you didn't read the article very well, its from the Office for National Statistics. 

If you want to talk about a declining city, why is London the fastest growing major city in Europe? London is set to grow by up to 800'000 people by 2016, or a city the size of Leeds. 

I haven't heard something so funny in ages, 'foreigners replacing the english', you have a very ethno-centric view of who we are.


----------



## pricemazda (Feb 14, 2004)

GM, yourt signature is disengeous, Zim was posting a quote from Cecil Rhodes who said that in the 19th Century. He didn't say that today. Do you really think someone today would start a sentence with 'I contend'.

Would the moderators please sort this out.


----------



## eddyk (Mar 26, 2005)

Quezalcoatl26 is a very sad little boy.


I cant help but wonder that the aussies have got into his little brain and filled it with junk.


----------



## GM (Feb 29, 2004)

pricemazda said:


> GM, yourt signature is disengeous, Zim was posting a quote from Cecil Rhodes who said that in the 19th Century. He didn't say that today. Do you really think someone today would start a sentence with 'I contend'.
> 
> Would the moderators please sort this out.


Exactly, but just before writing this quote from Cecil Rhodes, Zim Flyer wrote :
"I'm with Cecil Rhodes".


----------



## nick_taylor (Mar 7, 2003)

Quezalcoatl26 said:


> ROFLMAO. You guys suffer from a chronic inferiority complex, living in the shadow of Paris is a sad thing, no matter how hard you try. London will only be better than Paris in the eyes of a londoner and Englishman anyone else will think otherwise. Yet you surely know in your heart France is better than England and that since the dawn of time. By the way your economic success isn't much a success (growing at 2.1% lol) and selling out the country to foreigners and having a macdonald culture is shortsighted. Once China is full on track, foreign investors owning your country will move elsewhere. Guess who would be laughing at the English disaster. You sell even your last car maker to foreigners.  A disaster in the making. The UK no longer has lost it's edge, english companies are being own one by one by foreigners. HHahahha the disaster will be fun :cheers:


How does London live in the shadow of Paris? London pays nothing to Paris politically. Economically Paris is smaller and less significant to the EU, same for business and finance of which London so happens to be the EU (and in finance - the world leader). Even in tourism, Paris (since last year) has fallen behind London!

Also according to latest figures (27/08/2005), the UK is growing at 1.7%, while France is growing at 1.2% from a year ago. I should note that unemployment in the UK is 4.7%, but in France it is 10.1%. I should note that over the last 10 years while France and other EU economies have stagnated, receeded or slowed down dramatically, the UK economy has remained pretty much boyant and strong; it is still in its longest period of recorded growth ever. It has meant the UK has a higher GDP per capita than the likes of Japan, Germany and France - the gap is also widening as the UK outperforms Germany, France and Italy across the board.

And when and where has the UK a McDonald's culture? There are only some 258 more McDonald's in the UK than in France (and they have been operating in the UK for more years). This is even more impressive considering the fact that France is more isolated from wanting other countries enterprises from gaining a foothold in France.

Also what is wrong with FDI as every country needs it in this globalised world? I would also like to point out that yes the last major UK car manufacturer is no longer British owned, but this isn't necessarily a bad thing. The most efficient and productive car plants are also ironically in the UK (Nissan's Sunderland plant being the most efficient in the EU - so efficient cars are even exported to Japan), so its not like car manufacturing is a problem even if it is foreign owned.

I should note that that because the UK isn't a leading manufacturer, it doesn't mean that it doesn't do anything. Infact if anything it is the example of what France and Germany should be following: diversifying into the knowledge economy and business + financial services sector which the UK so happens to be the 2nd largest in the world in. The reason is that while it might be currently just profitable to keep on manufacturing in France and Germany, in 5-10 years this won't be the case and these jobs will migrate to the likes of China and India. Without diversifying now, it will be these sort of economies that are already acting erratically that suffer. The knowledge economy and the business and financial services sector is the way forward.

Also I should note that while the UK has opened its borders to other countries, it is an immense large-business driven economy.

From Forbes 2005 Listing of the top 2,000 companies in the world:

*UK: 140
Germany: 63
France: 62
Italy: 45
Switzerland: 37
Netherlands: 33
Spain: 30*











In other words, out of the world's top 2,000 largest companies, the UK has more companies listed than Germany. This is the 3nd highest number of companies in the top 2,000 after the US and Japan. Out of the 10 largest companies in the world, two are British (HSBC - 5th + BP - 8th), another Shell is British-Dutch (7th). None of the top 10 are German or French companies. The highest concentration of companies outside New York and Tokyo is in London.

1 - Citigroup - US
2 - General Electric - US
3 - American International Group - US
4 - Bank of America - US
5 - HSBC Group - UK
6 - Exxon Mobil - US
7 - Royal Dutch Shell Group - Netherlands/UK
8 - BP - UK
9 - ING Group - Netherlands
10 - Toyota Motor - Japan


I dunno who to laugh at - you, or the problems that France and Germany will have to face due to the fact they have failed to diversify their economies to the level that the UK and Netherlands have. Also to top it off the largest foreign direct investor into Russia, China and India is none other than the UK.





Quezalcoatl26 said:


> Hahaha, it is you that is wrong on all count. My only mistake was about the population of england. The BBC is full of mistake when it comes to demography. 63% of the increase if from migration only 27%, so the largest input from foreigners.
> 
> As for France there are 3.7 million muslim (L'express) or 4.1 million (source mosque of Paris) of diverse origin, the majority being north african. Metropolitan France is counted separately from overseas. Overseas France growing at rate of up to 2-3%. So tell me where you get the 10% of french population is from north africa. LOL, in 20 years mate, the English will be a minority whereas local french women still has the record for european fertility just after the Irish.


If you had read the article, you would note that the BBC is not making the figures up itself, but is mearly reporting what the Office for National Statistics is saying. The ONS is the UK equivalent of the French INSEE, ie it is the UK Statistical Office.

Also the BBC is one of the most trusted news organisations of its type in the world - it also so happens to be the world's largest news broadcasting gathering organisation on the planet producing some 100hrs+ of news each day. Also in 20 years the English won't be a minority as neither Northern Ireland, Wales or Scotland are growing at anything England is.






GM said:


> You are so "abruti". It becomes funny.
> 
> For your information, population in ïle-de-France is concentred around the agglomération parisienne :
> 
> ...


The fact is for an area already larger than the London city proper to receive only 100 more people is worrying to say the least. Infact considering the largest push by the new EU members into the UK has been highly significant, I would not be suprised currentl if city proper London is absorbing more people than all of the Île-de-France. Also Paris is technically the City of Paris, that is the fault of authorities for failing to adjust the city boundaries with population growth. Fact of the matter is: London is growing at a faster rate than Paris and its surrounding areas.


----------



## GM (Feb 29, 2004)

Take a comparaison between London's population and Paris+inner suburbs( petite couronne)population since the 1950's :

London population (in 1579 km²) :
2001 : 7,172,036
1991 : 6,679,699 
1981 : 6,696,008 
1971 : 8,119,246 
1961 : 8,171,902 
1951 : 8,348,023 
1939 : 8,615,050 

Paris+inner suburbs population (in 762 km²):
1999 : 6,164,238
1990 : 6,140,300
1982 : 6,081,100
1968 : 6,423,300
1936 : 5,311,100

So you see, London is just regaining the population which it has lost in the previous decades. Actually,theses figures show that for Paris, as for London, the main growth occures since several decades essentially outside of the city boundaries for London and outside of the limits of the inner suburbs for Paris.
Therefore it is irrelevant to compare the growth of these two cities by considering only the city's area. We must take in consideration the whole metro area if we want to make accurate comparaisons.


----------



## eklips (Mar 29, 2005)

You people are idiots or what? And nick-Taylor it seems you didn't understand anything about what I was saying, you quoted me and just started again, arrogant defense of London, so GM comes and defends Paris akwardly, and this Australian starts trolling.

What will foreigners think of Parisians and Londoners after this....


----------



## Pobbie (Jul 16, 2005)

eddyk said:


> We drive on the left because most people are right handed....and back in the roman times when they built the roads they would walk on the left, their sword would be on their right side, and if they met anyone in the road and needed to use their sword it would be on the same side and the person.
> 
> Thats just one of the resons...there are many.


Driving on the left nowadays actually favours left-handers, because you drive on the right-hand side of the vehicle, and have to press all the buttons/push all the gears with your left-hand. Also (as one myself), right-handers are more comfortable resting their LEFT elbow on the side.

Sorry, I know has nothing to do with anything but driving on the left actually favours left-handers, while driving on the right is better for right-handers.


----------



## Pobbie (Jul 16, 2005)

I have a question:

Is there anyone here couldn't give a flying **** about London or Paris?


----------



## Accura4Matalan (Jan 7, 2004)

Pobbie Rarr said:


> I have a question:
> 
> Is there anyone here couldn't give a flying **** about London or Paris?


Me!


----------



## JDRS (Feb 8, 2004)

Pobbie Rarr said:


> I have a question:
> 
> Is there anyone here couldn't give a flying **** about London or Paris?


That might be because you don't live in either. Anyway why has this turned into a Paris v London slagging match?


----------



## Ning (Jul 18, 2004)

I like these threads, they are so entertaining to watch and participate :cheers:


----------



## BondStreetBum (Aug 23, 2005)

Half the people posting on this thread are *absolutely pathetic.*

I hope for your sake you are all under 20 years old. What a frightening thought that any of you could be adult men. I include many of my puffed up fellow-Brits in this, as well as the little coquerico Frenchmen.

The childish assumption that London or Paris, or France and the UK, could in some way be 'better' than the other smacks of little worlds and inexperience, and psychologies where French inferiority complexes meet a particularly irritating British cockiness and both get right up my nose. The funniest and saddest thing is that many of you seem to know each other and spend your spare time doing this often.

Look, you hopeless spunk-bubbles: France and the UK are both countries without which the world would have developed in a totally unrecognisable way. Thank God the vast majority of French and British people would join me in pissing on this thread from a great height.

London and Paris are, in every possible measure of the term, great cities. Their tourism figures, stats for visiting businessmen, the extent and variety of their shopping, culture, housing stock, architecture, economies and so on and so on speak far more clearly and majestically than most people on this thread, with their petty nationalist insults and foraging for data and news stories.

Neither France nor the UK are the countries that they once were. Something that we would all do well to deal with. While France's economy has done spectacularly badly of late and the news is full of collapsing airports, fires, droughts, NON referendums and chomage, I doubt very much that this will be the end of France and suspect that like all countries do from time to time, France is simply going through a dodgy patch. Similarly, hard-working and successful Brits generally deserve the very much better state they find their country in having crawled out of the 1980s and started running with the baton. None of this should annoy anyone and trolls on here should know that it is extremely unlikely that a few pissed off and bored internet Frenchmen will convince Londoners that their city is not doing very well, and likewise a few arrogant London-centric obsessives are doubtless wasting their time trying to prove that France is sinking without trace.

Here endeth the lesson...now go and masturbate or something.


----------



## london-b (Jul 31, 2004)

BondStreetBum said:


> Here endeth the lesson...now go and masturbate or something.


Got any good sites?


----------



## Gladys8it (Mar 24, 2005)

To BondStreetBum,

Excellently said. :applause: :applause: :applause: 

Cheers!!


----------



## Pobbie (Jul 16, 2005)

BondStreetBum said:


> Half the people posting on this thread are *absolutely pathetic.*
> 
> I hope for your sake you are all under 20 years old. What a frightening thought that any of you could be adult men. I include many of my puffed up fellow-Brits in this, as well as the little coquerico Frenchmen.
> 
> ...


:applause: :applause:

JDRS, just because I don't live in either doesn't mean I can't be pissed off at the frequent London vs Paris arguments. They may both be great, but they're still just little specks on the Earth's surface.


----------



## ElUnicoSol (Aug 24, 2005)

Hehe!

I have not meant to start such an argument between London and Paris. :runaway: 

Listen French posters! You take it too seriously. Read my original post. I have described Paris as 'lovely' and 'splendid'. Because it is. I say that I prefer London, I do, and also I know it better than Paris. I know Paris quite well, well enough to make a personal opinion. But you take it too personally. The reason I commented on Paris is because it is too difficult to compare London to any other EU city. The next largest, Madrid, is half the size of London or Paris. It is not meant to be an attack on Paris or France. It is shocking that one or two French posters think it is impossible for a non-Brit, non-French to prefer London.  Arrogant also. Some will prefer Paris, of course. Others will prefer London.


----------



## nick_taylor (Mar 7, 2003)

GM said:


> Take a comparaison between London's population and Paris+inner suburbs( petite couronne)population since the 1950's :
> 
> London population (in 1579 km²) :
> 2001 : 7,172,036 - 49,233.7
> ...


London is indeed regaining population lost post WW2 (I've noted this against your figures), but London is currently in a boom. Gone are the days when London was a wasteland of derelict warehouses and dockyards. Now is the time of the finance and office worker. Infact London's projections continue to astound me - growth greater than New York for instance and London is the fastest growing 4mn+ city in the developed world.

But that isn't showing that somehow Paris is growing at similar rates. I've shown already that the immense Île-de-France region is only growing by 100 more people than the city proper of London. Hypothetically you would have thought that the Île-de-France as the larger (area and population) area would be growing at a faster rate than a less populated and smaller area (ie London). Reality is, is that London is growing at just as fast a rate as the Île-de-France and that surrounding areas of London (to get either an equivalent population or area) would show a greater population increase over Paris and its surrounding area.






virtual said:


> You people are idiots or what? And nick-Taylor it seems you didn't understand anything about what I was saying, you quoted me and just started again, arrogant defense of London, so GM comes and defends Paris akwardly, and this Australian starts trolling.
> 
> What will foreigners think of Parisians and Londoners after this....


I'm not a Londoner. Also I do understand - the proof is quite literally in the figures. Its not like I aint making them up, INSEE so happens to be my main source - are you denying their credibility now?






Ning said:


> I like these threads, they are so entertaining to watch and participate


Your participation being of unequal measure in stating incorrect historical and geographical terms! You may now pat yourself on the back for such failings!


----------



## Storeman (Jun 24, 2005)

Well put *BondStreetBum*!! :applause: :master: 

*ElUnicoSol:*


> I have not meant to start such an argument between London and Paris.


Don't bother man! You couldn't know but in this forums you could basically start a thread about cow bells and it would end up in a fight London v. Paris or China v. Japan or whatever. The only thing this forums prove is that people are nationalistic as hell in every country of the world... Sad enough.


----------



## JDRS (Feb 8, 2004)

Pobbie Rarr said:


> JDRS, just because I don't live in either doesn't mean I can't be pissed off at the frequent London vs Paris arguments. They may both be great, but they're still just little specks on the Earth's surface.


I didn't mean that you can't be pissed off at the London-Paris arguments. I am too, but you'd probably care more about London if you lived there. Like you probably care more about Liverpool than London.


----------



## ranny fash (Apr 24, 2005)

BondStreetBum said:


> Look, you hopeless spunk-bubbles


LOL! 

your post is a perfect response to the way this thred has gone.


----------

