Risking the danger of momentarily straying off topic, though not far. I have travelled pretty widely around the UK and listened to many people tell me all about Birmingham.
To listen to them they would have you believe it's a city that is still stuck in the 19th century and that outside the city centre it is all slums and back streets along side of filth belching factories. That the people are all strange speaking morons in need of a wash. We have no entertainment or culture other than sawdust strewn public houses and flea pit picture houses.
I often would say to these people, "it has changed a bit you know since the 19th century when was the last time you were there"? To which they invariably replied "Oh I have never been there, it's just what I have heard".
Phil