annaj

Or suspected criminal Mark, innocent until proven guilty and all that.

Oh, Mr Pip is amazing isn't it PGC? The way it turns in an instant from light and lovely narrative to indescribable horrors is breathtaking. I've just finished Revolutionary Road. Also brilliant and emotionally draining in an entirely different way.

Calm down Kid, the response has hardly been aggresive and certainly not bullying, if I had to describe it I'd say more mildly annoyed or even wryly amused. Of course SKS isn't obliged to tell anyone where his favourite restaurant is, no-one has said that he is. All anyone has said is that it's a bit off to boast about knowing a great place, but refuse to share, because it'll be ruined by all us lot and our low expectations. Personally I think his attitude has been a bit rude and superior and I think it's ok for me to politely say that without being called a bully. Right, must dash, I'm off on a tour of exclusive sushi joints to ruin them all with my unsophisticated palate...

Am I the only person who can't make the Barry Barry site move horizontally, so can't see more than the first two photos?

24 racers in total made for an impressive site and a great day. Left over money from the drinks kitty has been donated to The Anthony Nolan Trust and The MS Society charities nominated by the winners of the ladies race (very impressive girls!) and one of the founding fathers of the race. Well done everybody.

Paulo Coelho, he's Brazilian. I'm very fond of the book I was reading it when I first met MrJ.

"You used to bring me roses, I wish you would again, But that was on the outside, And things were different then......"

It is kind of rude and arrogant to basically say, I know this great place, but I'm not telling you ignorant fools, because you'll ruin it with your low expectations, don't you think SKS? Ok, fair enough, you don't want your favourite little gem spoiled, so don't mention it at all. To bring it up as you have done is just showing off. I don't doubt you know more about Japanese food than I do and to be honest I'd love to know more, but I'm not going to ask someone with your smug and superior attitude to enlighten me. I also don't doubt that there are things that I know more about than you do, but I'd like to think that I would either share my knowledge or stay tactfully quiet.

Who is, dulwichdreadlocks?

No-one is saying it's wrong or snobby to want the best for your child *Bob*, as well you know, but what I don't understand is why Mick Mac is so sure that a school that hasn't even opened yet can't provide this. Is it too simplistic to say that if "aspirational" ED parents send their gifted children to this new local school and take the opportunity to get involved then it could be sucessful? Anyway, I can see that we're only a few posts away from someone asking me if I have children then telling me I couldn't possibly understand, so I'll leave it, but I still don't understand why what could be a positive addition to the area is being so entirely written off.

ronniemama, we cross posted, so I've only just seen yours. Reading what you've said about accountability and adherence to the national curriculm I can begin to understand you concerns. Thanks.

That surely is the parents choice not the schools. Why shouldn't it be a choice for "aspirational parents"? The school ethos is to bring out the best in all abilities. I went to a streamed comprehensive with a similar philosophy that catered for both the bottom and the top of the spectrum equally, with a bottom set still learning to read in secondary school, a top set put through GCSEs early and everything in between. But then I wouldn't describe my parents as "aspirational" something I'm fairly sure I'm glad of.

Personality is said to be made up of various characteristics, behaviours and emotional qualities and a personality disorder is a behaviour pattern or characteristics that fall outside what is accepted as normal. All of us sit somewhere along a scale for any given characteristic, for example empathy or neuroticism, but most of us are within a normal range. Someone with personality disorder is outside of that range for certain characteristics to the point where the imbalance causes problems for themselves or others. There are ten main types of personality disorder each with its own set of characteristics. People with borderline personality disorder tend to be intense and unstable in relationships, impulsive and have low self-esteem. They can be prone to self harm and alcohol and drug use. They often idealise people and become very attached and them become frustrated and disappointed when people fail to live up to their idealised expectations. Without knowing a lot more about the situation it's impossible to advise exactly what you should do, but it's a good idea to decide what your boundaries are, in other words how involved you want to be with this person, and stick to them. Personality disorders are not illnesses and cannot be cured as such. Some psychiatrists argue that diagnosing them is not helpful to the individual as it results in labelling and a sense of passivity (I can't help it it's my personality disorder) whilst others believe it helps people to understand their behaviour and any problems they may face. Hope that helps a bit, or at least gives you some context.

But Mick Mac, you haven't answered my question. Why do you think the ED academy won't have pupils from ED and why do you think it won't meet the needs of ED boys?

But didn't Reg say earlier somewhere that the park will be out of bounds? And the website talks about using local existing sports facilities, not about taking over the common.

Ok, so I accept that people who live in the immediate area are concerned that the site isn't large enough and about the impact of 900 boys arriving and leaving each day, but I still have questions (and these are genuine questions not an attack or attempt to be contraversial) Mic Mack, why are you so convinced that the places will not go to boys from East Dulwich? I've just had a look at the website for the academy in Peckham and distance from school is part of the admissions policy, with places allocated on the basis of special need, skills or talents in certain areas (in the case of the Peckham academy, performing arts)and distance from the school. So, it stands to reason that if the same policy applies to the ED academy then much of the intake will come from ED. Ronnimama, why are academies not ideal? Having had a look at their website I don't really understand what the problem with them is. Perhaps I'm missing something or being naive, but they seem to me to be modern schools that cater for a range of abilities including, but not exclusively, special needs. Antijen, I can completely see why a group of parents and teachers would be extremely upset at the relocation of a popular special needs school and at being essentially taken over by a church school, but I'm not really sure what it has to do with the new academy, unless it was just to make the point that parents views aren't listened to.

Ok, yes, I understand that and it seems like a legitimate concern. But on this and previous threads about it there does seem to be something more than that. A real negativity or a feeling that this school can do nothing right. Am I imagining it?

Maybe I've missed something really fundamental, but I've never quite understood why so many people have such negative feelings about this school development. Anyone care to explain?

Brendan's right. What's more I think pumpkins are, technically, fruit.

Tell me about it. Tragic geeks. They're probably all shift workers or wasters who work from home or something. I'm so gald I'm above all that.

Oh, I know *Bob*. Everyone else who's idling away their afternoon posting inconsequential nonsense is a sad nerd who never gets away from their keyboard. Not me though. I'm really cool and smart and busy and important.

Don't worry Michael, your serious and important concerns have been addressed. Most of the environmental impact of unfit tispy people running comes from methane produced through flatulence. To combat this I will be distributing Shreddies before the race.* *yes, I have waited a long time for an opportunity to post that link.

Ah, that takes me back. I went to 3rd Lavender Hill. I was a pixie.

Oh, poor trolling effort Marjorie. Much too soon to drop the daily mail in, no-one's going to take you seriously now.

I think he's just seen Clueless a few to many times ;-)