Yuuna

If it's possible, perhaps you should get an appointment with a psychologist privately? I know that NHS waiting times are rather long in this area particularly and they perhaps didn't see your son's case as serious. Or perhaps seek out a counsellor?

Let's not forget the many scientists involved in trials approved by the FDA that have direct links to the drug companies/manufacturers. The FDA's stance is often as clear as mud.

'In the United Kingdom , halfway house usually refers to a place where people with mental disorders , victims of child abuse , orphans or teenage runaways can stay. The latter are often run by charities , including the Church of England and other churches, and community groups. Residential places for offenders on bail are known as bail hostels , [6] and probation supervised accommodation for offenders post-release are known as Approved Premises. [7] However, a halfway house more usually refers to something combining features of two other things, for example a solution to a problem based on two ideas.' Taken from Wikipedia, naturally. If they are 'halfway houses' then they would most likely house those with mental illness or substance abuse problems; that doesn't mean they are criminals. There does seem to be confusion over the term and perhaps an overlap, as is suggested above. In America, terms like 'sober house' are used to specially refer to those catering to people overcoming drink dependency. Also, whether they are state or privately run may affect the treatment options available and the level of support. In many cases, residents of halfway houses are still receiving daily/weekly counselling and are trying to get their life on track. My friend spent time in a mental institution and then went onto to stay in a 'halfway house' albeit privately run and not by that name; it was a place for her to get used to being outside of hospital, at her own pace. She's no criminal or inherently immoral person or a danger to society. She's simply a young girl who struggled with severe bipolar depression. I suppose Not In My Back Yard (NIMBY) applies here as well...

It's the 'negative' comments that have kept this thread going. I wonder if it will rain on the opening day proper...

Yes, I agree. I wonder if there really is any benefit to eating the capsules - could we be sure the nutrients/vitamins are still active? I think if there were health benefits it would be in the raw product. I actually have a friend (she kept this quiet) who ate her placenta, cooked, yet finds the idea of drinking her own milk revolting! It's funny how conditioning regarding bodily functions/organs work. (I wouldn't eat my placenta because in my culture we burn/cremate it, I suppose as if it were a person; in a sense perhaps we do see it that way. Don't get me wrong I don't find the placenta disgusting - we mothersare expected to handle the placenta and lead the rite. I admit I was VERY squeamish the first time). I don't think you're funny for being uncomfortable with eating it - I think it's natural to feel that way. I imagine in ancient times our ancestors regarded the afterbirth as a being (hence in mine and similar cultures the funeral rites being conducted). Of course, I also believe our ancestors also ate them at times. This world is so diverse.

I think this whole thread is vapid. It's not surprising so many posts are off topic...

In truth, many of the companies with the 'paraben free' 'no SLS' have simply replaced the well known chemicals with equally or more dangerous ones. Consider shampoo. You don't need 41896214 ingredients - I mean what do all those actually do to your scalp and hair? Surely you don't buy into the adverts? Personally, I use the no 'poo method. ;-) My concern is the repeated exposure and the downplaying of the long term effects. Parabens are found in blueberries. That doesn't mean parabens isolated and then put together with other such ingredients will behave the same way. Even in nature, there are harmful chemicals. Don't forget that many claims or research/studies are paid for by companies to make them look above board; they won't publish the negative data. I believe we should investigate the source of any health claims; positive or negative. I also believe you should just follow the money (who paid for it/has something to gain from it?)...

Remember we aren't carnivores - we eat more than just meat. Eating meat would be more sustainable if we didn't over kill and waste it. There is so much excess; it's shameful. I'm not a big meat eater over here - the quality of the meat and price is off putting. Where I'm from, we eat A LOT of pig; I mean everything! I don't know any vegetarians from back home. Don't get me wrong, we love our vegetation; we just must eat meat. Vegetarianism is seen as quite Western - I even hear people questioning whether it would make you fat...Asians.

Amico Bio anyone? London's first Italian Organic Vegetarian restaurant. I went there for my niece's 17th birthday - the food was delicious. I'm not a vegetarian and neither is she; we just tried something different. They even served tempura. It wasn't up to my Japanese standard but it was pretty good! Okay, that's enough of the Amico Bio plug. It would be nice if one opened in East Dulwich... I think vegetarian options tend to be hit and miss like gluten free ones. (I remember going to Pizza Express and noticing, under the pasta section, a gluten free dish with no pasta. What? No rice/maize pasta...) I try to be conscious of this at my restaurant (I am a chef) and provide a varied menu. However, meat does sell well so I wouldn't go vegetarian, just yet especially as I predominantly cook Japanese food (we LOVE meat) and even our broths/soups are meat based... It is partly supply and demand. Being a vegetarian is a lifestyle choice; however well meaning it is. Unfortunately, many restaurants often don't cater much to this.

This is an immensely informative website database listing thousands of products and detailing the level of harmful/toxic ingredients. They have a rating and colour coded system from 0-10. It may be worth a look. It is an American website though many product companies are international so their items are sold here. Here is the link: http://www.ewg.org/skindeep/ The other posters are right; water is sufficient, although our 'hard water' isn't ideal. Good luck mama!

I admit, I was tempted to post a picture to show what a mutilated vulva looks like and then people could decide if they thought it was something they would be happy for their daughter to experience. In some cases newborn babies are subjected to this. The practice may have been around for millennia however that does not make it right. People used to throw disabled children in bogs. If that were still being practiced would we say 'we shouldn't interfere'? Evil is allowed to continue when we stand and do nothing. As a human, woman and mother of three daughters the thought of this practice saddens me deeply. I can't understand how humanity can have invested so much time and energy into harming one another; even our children. They may be a different culture, have different coloured skin but they are still every bit as human as the rest of us. Shame on this government for doing so little.

Where did I write it was not 'your own organ'? Nowhere. If one ate their own hand that would still be anphropophagy - my preferred term due to the negative connotations of the origin of the world 'cannibal' (deriving from the term for the Caribbean native people such as the Kalinago people). I wrote cannibal to clarify believing some people may not be familiar with with the term anphropophagy. It was good of you to take the time to promote your business - or would you prefer charity? There is a market and you have a business - you even advertised for it. How is that not chasing a (growing) market? You 'work' with placentas - does it not have an official job title yet? If I may, what are your medical or scientific qualifications? You made numerous claims yet I see no evidence for them. You have 'cleared up' nothing, merely bloodied the waters. Writing 'most likely' is a marketing ploy - you're not in a position to give guarantees. All you have is anecdotal evidence. It may as well be holistic. You aimed to clear up some points (most of which were patronizing at best - are we children?) and happened to end with a 10% discount. Smooth, almost like a baby's bottom... I already wrote it is their body so they may do as they wish. I simply don't think people should be bought by new trends sparked by pseudo science. So yes, yawn indeed - that old chestnut. Thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to spread your message. I'm sure business is booming. xoxo I wish to be clear whilst I find eating your (see I recognise it is theirs) placenta unnessary - it's your body! Just be realistic. Don't be bought by 'most likely'. Do YOUR OWN research and DON'T accept/rely on 'research' submitted by a company - whatever their cause/product; they are there to make money. It is in their interests (?$?) to make what they sell look good regardless of the scant substantial supporting evidence. ALWAYS question the source. Don't rely on their 'inherent good nature', even if they are women. Please remember; in this world money and integrity don't go hand in hand. Just be careful and don't get your hopes up. Please bare in mind the placebo effect. Homily over. Yuuna

You're welcome, as always. It was unsurprising to hear of the lack lustre response by this government. 28 years and no convictions? As per usual, France and other countries are actually doing something. It was coincidental (or was it planned?) that an advert came on after the programme depicting two trucks carrying BS (read: bullshit) to the Houses of Parliament. I hope this petition and the show does bring more awareness of the issue. However awareness isn't action. I think one way to make Parliament act would be to embarass/shame (do they have any?) them into action by highlighting how France has worked to stamp it out. They could even invite a leading official to speak on national television about the work being done. Make Britain feel proud to be British and NOT French...

uncleglen Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Lock, bar, chain everything- a man who lives near > my dad in East London took his dog for a walk > across a large open space and felt ill so he went > to a friend's house for the night. He returned > home the next day to find his whole house taken > over by Romanian squatters! I like your use of 'Romanian' as a premodifier. I see what you did there. Yeah boi.

James Barber Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > You should call Police 101 number under such > circumstances. > The biggest issue local Police report to me is > people AFTER the event saying they had some > suspicions but didnt want to bother the Police. That wouldn't have anything to do with the countless incidences reported to police; who did little until AFTER a serious offense was committed? Of course, due to 'budget cuts' we have to be realistic with our expectations of the police. Anyway, thank you for the warning. It is nice that looking out for others does still exist in London. That too, isn't rocket science...

Yes, there are animals that eat their placenta - that doesn't mean we should. Some mammals eat their babies if they feel there is more than they can handle (I am told). Should we do the same? At some point in history all humans are said to have engaged in anthropophagy, placenta or otherwise. I simply find the practice unnessary. It has become a trend in the West it seems. There is no cultural basis for it here. People are setting up businesses to cater for this 'new market'. No research is going to convince me that eating placenta is 'healthy'. I would be wary of such studies and question who paid for it... At the end of the day, it is your body and your placenta; do with it as you wish. I simply caution people against buying into marketing techniques.

At times, I think how you view the level of service you receive is in part linked to your mood. Having written that, I also have (read: had) high expectations of customer service. (I manage a restaurant and I come from Japan where it would be normal for the train announcer to apologise for being 1 minute late...). I think customer service in East Dulwich is acceptable to good, in general, although I've had better service elsewhere. I've come to acknowledge that's just how it is. I actually think most stores would benefit from customer service training. It should be standard practice. If it is, which I doubt, I think it's lacking...a lot.

Eating your placenta, in whatever form, is anthropophagy (cannibalism) as it, or was, until it was birthed, a human body part. I felt I had to write that. Any supposed benefits are anecdotal at best or simply 'placebo effects'. Certain Chinese medicines contain dried placenta. I did not eat my first three placentas. I shall not be attempting to do so with my fourth. I find the practice bizarre and somewhat...cannibalistic? However in Japan, 'placenta capsules' are apparently popular - maybe that's where the trend came from? Even though it's my country I just don't understand it... It supported your baby's development in your womb and so you eat it? In some countries that would be sacrilege, they see it as a person and conduct funeral rites. I suppose people would think that 'primative' unlike eating placenta...mmm, YUMMY. Wakaranai...

uncleglen Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Should we really be interfering in other peoples' > cultures? As they say. Who is 'they'? Your ancestors who interfered in most cultures of the world and in many cases devastated them? It is a practice used to control women. This society is by no means perfect however it can have at least some positive influence, it is hoped...

I do agree the people should not cycle on the pavement. If you feel it's unsafe on the road - walk on the pavement with your bike. I don't cycle in London as I feel that there are too many inconsiderate drivers. However I see too many cyclists put themselves and others in danger. It's careless. In Japan, we don't behave like this. We are taught to consider others before ourselves. I am not writing, that we are without fault however our culture is quite different to the one here and it shows. If a young person, for example, were going too fast on his/her bicycle and an older person pointed this out, that young person would stop (slow down) and apologise for being inconsiderate. I have seen this many times (I was once that young person). I wouldn't dare try that here; at best they might just ignore me... Whilst it's nice that people site examples like in Japan people should remember that our culture is different and I think that is why it works, for us. For it to have any hope of succeeding here, certain cyclists would have to remove the hefty sense of entitlement they seem to think they have. That's partly why I prefer the American term; sidewalk. In other European countries adult cyclists are reprimanded for pavement cycling. I do think that there is a level of parental responsibilty when it comes to children on the pavement. Parents ought to teach their children to be considerate of those walking. Cyclists do not have 'right of way' on the pavement. Too many times have cyclists nearly hit me on the sidewalk. Did they apologise? No. Fellow cyclists should work together to fix the problem. However, I see this as largely unlikely to happen when there are clearly some who see poor treatment on the roads as license to ride on the pavement and then possibly pass on that treatment to pedestrians. Having written that, I am not excusing inconsiderate and wreckless driving. It is however another issue and not fitting with the title: Cycling on the pavement. I've never collided with a car on the pavement. Now that really would be wreckless.

I did question where the proposed station would be. I'm not sure this will go ahead. That is interesting chellbirdse15. I didn't know about that.

Quite frankly, I see no need to trim bushes. Let nature be.

It is funny that someone wrote about soy as I was thinking that aluminium isn't the only worrying ingredient in many formulas. Whilst I think it still to some extent remains to be seen exactly what the long term effects are, it still isn't a chance I'd take. At the end of the day these companies are here to make money - never underestimate the lengths they will go to keep doing so. That doesn't automatically make them 'bad' however that doesn't make them 'good' either.

I would also be interested to know what exactly the 'sleep training' methods are. Would anyone give an example?

showboat Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Wrote a reply, then decided, you're not worth it. > > Never argue on the Internet, and Lameduck, I can't > be bothered with your type. You're not worth it. > > I'm going to leave the EDF for a while, folk like > Lameduck bring out the worst on me. Or perhaps show up your lack of self restraint?