grabot

I saw the corona and thought it was nice. Thanks Gesundheit.

The Honorary Consul, Graham Greene. Amazon sales ranking: 146,862 in Books The Life and Loves of a He Devil: A Memoir, Graham Norton. Amazon sales ranking: 1674 in Books

Birmingham and Graham Greene.

I still maintain that the differentiator between, for example, Nazism and religion, is durability. A secular ideology ultimately has to hold itself up to what most of us perceive as reality. We can say, if we follow this particular set of ideas, where does it lead? And ultimately reject it when we realise that it leads to something bad. Religion cannot be challenged in the same way and as such can continue, unmodified, for an unlimited period of time. Can anyone prove or disprove the existence of heaven? In that respect, there seems to be some scope for hope with secular ideology, that ultimately we will learn from our mistakes and squeeze out that bad ones. Religion on the other hand...

Rararah you've stated what I've always suspected is true. In North London, based on this map http://tfl.gov.uk/cdn/static/cms/documents/pay-as-you-go-tarrifs-national-rail.pdf it appears that TFL have some dominion over the majority of lines. I wonder if the situation in South London would be better if this was also the case down here...

"I agree with El Pibe's earlier analysis and comparison of the individual motivation and broad methods of these young men and Red Brigades, Baader Meinhof etc. in past decades." I would have thought the template for this kind of violence was created much earlier by Hassan-I-Sabbah in the 11th century http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assassins#Assassination. No doubt he had his predecessors.

Welby and Francis? I'm not convinced. Welby is a man who describes speaking in tongues as routine. I would describe it as downright mental! I know it's not really fair bashing Christians at this point. They weren't responsible for events in Paris. I just worry about generalised growth in ideological zeal and the cognitive dissonance and conflict that that engenders.

I would imagine all ideologists who find themselves in a system that does not suit their particular ideology will seek to remove the archos. Nothing new there. As you suggested, the ideology could have a secular or religious nature. The specific problem with religion, though, is that it requires no material frame of reference and as such can run unchecked for thousands of years. Disagree on Evangelicism by the way. Strictly speaking, by most definitions a Catholic cannot be evangelical. But, the popular understanding of the word is zealous and conservative. I would point to the growing charismatic movement as evidence of evangelical growth.

Uncleglen's comment matches my understanding that the Catholic church [and the church of England for that matter] is becoming progressively more evangelical: http://www.spectator.co.uk/features/8953721/here-comes-the-god-squad-what-the-new-pope-and-the-new-archbishop-have-in-common/ Religion in general is something that I find increasingly worrying, having been largely in favour of it in the past. I generally agree with Salman Rushdie's statement: "'Religion, a mediaeval form of unreason, when combined with modern weaponry becomes a real threat to our freedoms. 'This religious totalitarianism has caused a deadly mutation in the heart of Islam and we see the tragic consequences in Paris today. 'I stand with Charlie Hebdo, as we all must, to defend the art of satire, which has always been a force for liberty and against tyranny, dishonesty and stupidity. '"Respect for religion? has become a code phrase meaning ?fear of religion." 'Religions, like all other ideas, deserve criticism, satire, and, yes, our fearless disrespect."

Walking to Shoreditch High Street from Moorgate and getting the train to Peckham Rye might be a good bet.

I had an unexpectedly good night at Four Quarters in Peckham. Good beer and well constructed nostalgia for anyone who enjoyed playing Street Fighter 2 in the arcade as a youth; the music, posters and retro TV add a lot to the atmosphere. Big caveat to my recommendation, I have eulogised about the Patch in the past, but for a brief time I actually think that it was very good.

Many years ago, pre-gentrification there was an excellent Carribean restaurant in East Dulwich called Jerk Rock. Sadly the incumbents didn't give it the custom it deserved. As regards the changing face of London. That's what London does. That what it has always done. There are some excellent resources available about London's history, for example the Docklands Museum for those that are interested. London's history differentiates it from, from example a typical town in the South of Spain, it is incomparable. I've been in East Dulwich for years and am happy with the new additions. Also, on a general note I generally applaud anyone who is starting a new business, it is always a step into the unknown for those concerned. For those that no longer enjoy it and are sitting on a property in the area, they are amongst the luckiest people in the world. They have the fantastic opportunity to sell up, buy a lovely place out of London and bank a heap of cash.

I agree about the train situation. But, you never know it might force a debate on that and improvements might be made. I general I am in favour of pedestrianisation, Stroget in Copenhagen, for example, is great, such a contrast to the grime of Oxford Street. Closing off a major thoroughfare would open it up to other commercial opportunities, street markets etc. To me this seems a good chance to try it out, pedestrianisation-lite if you will.

Seems a good idea http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-30268345 I tend to avoid the West End nowadays because I find it too busy and noisy. This would make a big difference.

Urban dictionary identifies Yoi as an effect used extensively in Dubstep music. Could be the ice-cream man from Bangarang marking out his rounds? I don't expect anyone to understand any of the above ;-)

I think it would be nice to get some sort of reprieve. Maybe swap trains to different platforms periodically to share the joys of platform 15. Would this be achievable?

The render is ugly, it looks as though it is screaming for attention; maybe it is missing its spiritual home on a Medway retail park. Perhaps a rejigged colour scheme or ideally some use of wood cladding would tone it down.

Yes, you are right. A remarkable man: "Even more vaguely, I hoped that the Youth Theatre, as I was already calling it in my mind, would develop a real sense of community by bringing together young people from diverse backgrounds to work in a group where even the humblest mattered. I hoped too that the work would encourage them to look upon the theatre as being as much part of their lives as football or dancing, instead of something reserved for the precious or privileged few." And now part of his legacy is an eponymous theatre...

Seems a bit harsh calling Edhistory snide. Why does a school need an architecturally disingenuous theatre with facilities that would put most professional theatres to shame? How many bursaries could have been funded by the money spent on the theatre?

Serious question. Do the police do anything to enforce driving laws in East Dulwich and the environs? Speeding, ignoring traffic lights and zebra crossings are commonplace in my experience and something that can ultimately have fatal consequences.

>I suppose I am not opposed to the concept of an elite school as long as its not only for the economically elite and therefore doesn't actively work against social mobility. Is the BRIT school an example of this? Seems a good concept on the face of it.

>I?m beginning to feel that for educational charities to be fit for purpose in the modern era and fulfill the aims of their founders, they have to become need blind via support from the state. I guess that since the government are firm believers in the academy system and are pushing state schools in that direction a gesture of faith would be to push non-state schools in a similar direction.

There is mention of it being next to an estate. Which estate is that, not the tiny low rise block of flats on Lytcott? Not particularly important to the overall argument I know. But, I am struggling to picture Alleyn's as Inner City school next to an estate.

>and the only way I'm >> getting 10K is by buying a balaclava...! "...the recovery of principal monies interest and other monies as they would have had if they had been first legal mortgagees of the freehold thereof under a Mortgage " I guess that means that they reserve the right to foreclose if you don't pay up.

Fair enough. I misinterpreted the incorporation. The charge on freeholders is imposed by the Estate's non-charitable wing.