Marmora Man

The Dulwich Festival (July every year) arranges two weekends of Artists Open House - highly recommended, tho' if you're susceptible to temptation, it can become expensive viewing so many beautiful pieces of work.

Easy to find out Tom, just read the menu. Tho if you're planning to protest I'll stand up in opposition proclaiming my right to eat Fois Gras.

As I said in Tom Micklethwaite's thread - Soylent Green. See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soylent_Green

Mocked - at least in part for not understanding the scientific approach. Karl Popper explained that scientific theses can only ever be disproved. More and more data can support a thesis lending greater and greater weight to the idea behind it, but never proved. On balance therefor the theory of evolution has far more data to support the idea than creationism, which appears to require blind faith rather than an enquiring mind, has ever garnered.

Water softeners are the only thing that works. Don't fall for any of the "special magnets / electrical coils" spiels that defy modern science. One reason we're looking forward to returning to the West Country is to enjoy the soft water and tea that tastes of tea without a scum floating on the top.

steveo Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Eresin. Pricey but nice. It's near the mosque and > the palace > > http://www.eresin.com.tr We stayed here last year. Could, just, see the Sea of Marmora from our room and easily from the rooftop restaurant. Easy to walk to all the obvious site - Blue Mosque, Agia Sophia, the Souk, etc. Recommended

Soylent Green - that's the foodstuff of the future.

I was referred for tennis elbow to the GP practice on Melbourne Grove, almost next to the pizza place & Scoop. There is a GP there that uses a form of Acupuncture - essentially "loosening" the knots in muscle groups that cause the tennis elbow. It worked for me. Apols cannot remember GP name or practice name - but no doubt someone on EDF can.

In an emergency - if you're prepared to pay double it can be fast tracked in about 48 hours, or even less.

I am in the pro camp too. My family know that if I'm terminally ill and in pain I will want to go painless and at a time of my choosing. Also that if I am so unfortunate as to experience "locked in" syndrome I will again want to switch off and die quickly, quietly and painlessly I have made a living will to this effect but, regrettably, although' it makes clear my wishes I does not, because of the current legal environment, make it legal for my family to assist me in achieving my wishes if I am, for whatever reason, unable to do so. This is both illogical and repressive. It also fails to recognise the nature of our current lives. Science, research and medical care now make it very probable that the majority will survive into late old age, but living with increasing infirmity. This Faustian pact leads to increasing indignity, pain and despair for many many people. To plan ahead and agree a way out of this situation seems to be to be the responsible course of action and should be allowed, with appropriate safeguards, under the law.

billybiro Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > People did something nice for another species that > share the planet and it didnt cost anything extra > to the likes of MM as workers already paid for/on > standby in case any trees down etc. Get over it. It did cost something - resource. Money is not everyting - time was taken to "save" the lives of 2 or 3 inconsequential birds - thousands of which die every year as a natural consequence of the natural world.

aquarius moon Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Pigeons are not 'vermin'. > > They are living creatures. The pigeon in London is a broadly descended from the Rock Dove that lived on cliff faces. It is now feral with few natural predators, altho the increase in raptors in and around London has had some impact. Disease is probably the most likely cause of pigeon death and many pigeons look disgusting with fleas, damaged limbs and beaks. It's average life span is probably no more than 2 - 3 years. With hundreds of thousands in the London area and given that they foul streets, shop fronts, statues. parks and al fresco eating areas they are considered to be vermin. To expend many man hours of council resource (whether or not according to rch that these resources have "already" been paid for) on savings the lives of two such birds is just ridiculous.

Marmite - now that's something this atheist can get to adore and even worship.

I find his all a tad over the top. An Emergency Duty Manager at the Call Centre, a Tree Manager and two tree maintenance contractors + a local councillor's time, discussions with RSPCA all involved over a couple of pigeons - a species of bird that is not endangered and is usually seen as vermin scavenging bins and rubbish.

Is it true - as I've often heard stated - that The Vale is where the "Great Train Robbery" (Ronnie Biggs et al) was planned and, post the robbery, celebrated? While not condoning criminality the 1962 (query date) robbery is now a part of history and might, just, make a small interesting footnote for publicising the new pub?

Marmora Man is away in the South West but can report that in the early hours of the morning there was a raid by armed police and that a man was taken away, escorted by two police officers at around 4.30am. Subsequently it appears a detailed forensic search of the property was underway.

Most outcomes - measured across a sizeable population would describe a bell shaped curve normal distribution with a few at one end of a spectrum, a few at the opposite end and the majority straddling the middle point. Weight of individuals, IQ, hospital lengths of stay, accuracy of sniper recruits, distribution of frogs, financial performance of financial advisors. You name it, the normal distribution describes it EXCELT for A level exam results. 98% pass rate with 25% at the top level is skewed obviously toward the higher end. Back in the 60s, when I took my A Levels they were marked not against a theoretical "absolute" standard as is the case today. Instead the results were plotted and the normal distribution then "cut" such that the top 10% of results in that exam year obtained an A pass, the next 15% a B pass, the next 15% a C pass and so on down to an E grade. Roughly 30% failed to obtain a pass at all. This had a number of positive outcomes. 1. It was clear who were the best 10% in any year. 2. A B or C pass, and a D & E were still valuable in identifying bright students. 3. Students were taught the subject rather than how to obtain an A grade. 4. It was possible to differentiate between the brightest and best without the need for "ad quals" such as membership of the debating society, Duke of Edinburgh's gold award, head boy/girl post etc etc. (This is not to devalue these activities but many, today, undertake them to differentiate themselves rather than thru any desire to be truly involved).

StraferJack Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Bottom line: > > that new housing? Won't get built > > "but but but but but!!.. "ad infinitum > > doesn't matter. It won't get built. Of COURSE lip > service has to be paid to the idea of building > from the proceeds. No Policy would get off the > ground otherwise... But anything that does get > built will be a shadow of what's lost > > But that once-scary-but-now attractive property > bought to specifically look after poor people? > Gone to them forever Too cynical - there are many people in the Conservative Party that espouse the older liberal conservative ethos and, along with many of Iain Duncan Smith's team would fight hard to ensure the money does get spent. As a "for instance" there are many LA tenants in ED in older, often Victorian, properties that have considerable value but which have been poorly maintained by Southwark Counci. The tenant suffers from an inadequate home, the council suffers from high (and apparently unaffordable) maintenance costs when, if this plan were implemented, the Council could get "the rich" to fund the provision of improved accommodation that is still with Southwark. Sounds like a winner to me.

An interesting match - mathematically possible to win, all history and cricketing wisdom says England will lose. Should England win they will certainly deserve to be accounted the world's No. 1 team - should they lose it will be to a team with an outstanding bowling attack and a strong batting line up that fired on all cylinders, when England's bowling and batting misfired just too often.

Wishing you Eid Mubarak, particularly the fun looking party on Peckam Rye. The roasting lamb smelt delicious.

a. Planning permission not required for internal work - but usually Building Regulations and approval is needed for any significant structural change that might affect the building's integrity. You could ask for a survey confirming that the chimney breast works have not affected the structure b. Public sewer - are you sure it's a public sewer and not the waste sewer from the house - which would be quite usual and, usually, helpful to have access to in case of blockages. Most public sewers are very large and run down the main highway, not through the back yards of properties.

You really need somewhere with a Paul McCartney filter as well. There's time to retire and for Sir Paul it is now, or earlier!!

From my Boy Scout days (many years ago): Logs to Burn, Logs to burn, Logs to burn, Logs to save the coal a turn, Here's a word to make you wise, When you hear the woodman's cries. Never heed his usual tale, That he has good logs for sale, But read these lines and really learn, The proper kind of logs to burn. Oak logs will warm you well, If they're old and dry. Larch logs of pine will smell, But the sparks will fly. Beech logs for Christmas time, Yew logs heat well. "Scotch" logs it is a crime, For anyone to sell. Birch logs will burn too fast, Chestnut scarce at all. Hawthorn logs are good to last, If you cut them in the fall. Holly logs will burn like wax, You should burn them green, Elm logs like smouldering flax, No flame to be seen. Pear logs and apple logs, They will scent your room, Cherry logs across the dogs, Smell like flowers in bloom. But ash logs, all smooth and grey, Burn them green or old; Buy up all that come your way, They're worth their weight in gold.

I wonder whether it would be appropriate to also celebrate the Silvers and Bronzes in the same way. Gold is, of course, a fantastic achievement but the other two medals are more than worthy of note. I'm not someone that would promote the "prizes for all" approach to competion but it has annoyed me somewhat that BBC commentators describe a Silver / Bronze medallist as "only" getting a Silver / Bronze - yes they didn't get first place but to be in the top 3 of a world event competing against the best from 200 countries is a pretty special effort.

As a senior manager I have often authorised an "acting up" payment to individuals in your situation. Usually at a rate somewhere between the absent person's salary and the "acting up" individual - arguing that the acting up opportunity is, itself, a reward in terms of experience and input to CV. In public sector organisations there is often something about this in your ToRs. In private sector it depends more upon your interpersonal and negotiating skills.