DaveR

Mourinho on top form: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/26188451

I only looked at one of the cases regarding 'vaccine damage' and the finding was: "there is not a preponderance of the evidence showing that Karsen?s injuries were caused or significantly aggravated by his February 19, 2005 vaccinations. Although Karsen?s vaccinations may have caused a low grade fever or otherwise triggered his first seizure on February 20, 2005, neither that initial seizure nor his vaccinations caused or significantly aggravated his Dravet syndrome and resulting neurological complications. Rather, his SCN1A genetic mutation is the sole cause of his injuries." i.e. no vaccine damage. Edited to add - I looked at the other case that appeared to concern alleged causative links between vaccination and medical conditions - same outcome. Being 'anti-vaccination' is possibly the ultimate idiotic indulgence of those who have only ever known the supreme benefits of living in the developed world in the 21st century. It's like being 'anti-nutrition' or 'anti-education'.

I'm not surprised that prices are rising steeply in Nunhead and HOP; spillover demand from ED for similar, proximate housing with the belief that the area is on the up = self-fulfilling prophecy.

Scotty Moore and Chuck Berry. Started it all.

I've yet to come across a better hangover cure than a bacon roll with lots of brown sauce and a small lake of strong sugary tea.

It's worth pointing out that almost all the bubble-like increases in London prices in recent times have been in inner London i.e. zones 1-3, and the effect has been to reverse the previous price relationship between inner city and suburbs. ED is now more expensive than huge swathes of suburban north and west london, which would have been unimaginable 20 years ago. There are 1000s of comparatively affordable homes in outer zone suburbs that prior generations of young middle class families fell over themselves to buy into, but are now regarded as being irredeemably dull compared to say, Clapton, despite the fact that Clapton is a toilet (no offence to any Clapton natives).

"Captain or not, no player should have a say in whether another player should play or not" I would agree with this in football, but in Test cricket the captain has to make a lot of tactical decisions so I think he should have a say.

If I lived close by, I'm sure I'd be strongly opposed on the basis that there will be a noticeable negative effect compared to the current situation. But I'm not sure that what is being proposed is inherently unsuitable/unreasonable for the location. The point about parking stress is kind of double-edged - more available parking puts more cars on the road, which is not something that IMHO should be encouraged. "I think a line in the sand has to be drawn somewhere" Is that line being drawn around your house? I genuinely don't see any grand issue of principle here - it's a pretty fine judgment call either way.

I used to be a member at Camber, which has club sessions twice a week - you just turn up and play, usually doubles. I imagine most clubs have something similar. Once you've been a few times you should know people well enough to fix up other times to play.

Looking back to the 50s and 60s grammar school era to inform a contemporary debate about education is sterile and pointless. Improving the quality of state education is no magic bullet re inequality but to assume it has no effect is just political posturing, and unsupported by evidence. Similarly, assuming that the Finnish experience supports the current UK model of comprehensive education is obviously nonsense. Out of interest, I am an ex student at the 'highly selective state sixth form college' that Prof Dorling identifies, but he doesn't bother to pause and wonder why it competes effectively with the best private schools in the country, and has done for thirty years. Maybe he is more interested in political grandstanding than empirical evidence.

"no it won't(or not by itself anyway) - it will be snapped up by investors and the bubble will continue to inflate, excluding the majority" that assumes that demand at a particular price point is infinite, which I doubt. At the moment a 'scarcity premium' is built in to the pricing in any halfway desirable inner london neighbourhood, based on the expectation that there is no source of substantial new supply. If you get a material volume of new sites into the market comparatively quickly (or even if people believe that you will) that will change. Investment pricing is largely driven by market sentiment, as any fule kno.

BTW, I thought it was interesting that nobody has connected this thread with the one immediately below it (at the moment) re ED police station. If we accept that, in the short-medium term, demand for housing in London is not going to fall away, we should all be clamouring for every crappy unused publicly owned building in Inner London to be sold to developers asap. A big injection of new supply might bring a bit of stability, at least, to the housing market.

"Plus, fair days pay for a fair days work and all that. Don't see why a teacher, teaching the same curriculum to the same number of kids, in the same standard of school should get paid less up North." Because you're paying over the odds, with taxpayers money, to fund a far better standard of living in an area where living costs are significantly lower i.e. pay, in purchasing terms, is far from equivalent. Is that 'fair'?

I don't go out drinking much in the area - a lots of the pubs have been tarted up in recent years and consequently are a bit rubbish. The Princess Louise is definitely still worth a visit, just for the decor. If you like proper German beer try the Bierschenke on Essex Street - they also do German food, but only open for lunch on Fridays. If you like Belgian beer, the Lowlander on Drury Lane is good. And for lunch (or even better, breakfast) the Delaunay Counter is very good; they're aiming for that non-specific Central European capital grand cafe feel, and they just about pull it off.

I work just round the corner, so, in no particular order, my top 10 lunch places within 10 minutes walk: Asadal (Korean), in a basement next to Holborn Station Hummus Brothers, Southampton Row Hi Sushi Izakaya, Catherine Street Siam Eatery, Wellington Street Takeaway falafel and kofte wraps from the guys in the churchyard at St Dunstan in the West, Fleet Street Koshari Street, St Martin's Lane Bahn Mi Bay, Theobalds Road Mishkin, Catherine Street Takeaway Thai from the back Of Pu's, Gate St, Lincoln's Inn Fields Asap (Malaysian), High Holborn. Also worth mentioning great bacon rolls from Wright's Bar, Houghton St (next to the main LSE building), and the Craft Beer Co on Leather Lane - a bit of a walk but good for working up a thirst. And it's only 15 minutes walk to Chinatown - I had dim sum for lunch today at Joy King Lau, off Lisle Street.

There is lots of evidence of a public sector pay premium in certain regions, most notably the North East, Merseyside and Wales. However, these are also areas with high unemployment i.e. spare capacity in the labour market, so higher public sector pay shouldn't push up market pay rates. London is in a vicious/virtuous circle - the more capital it attracts (cash + infrastructure + human capital) the more attractive it becomes and yet at the same time (and as a consequence) it gets more expensive, crowded etc. But people keep coming.

"Number of homes currently in planning for Greater London over next 5 years = 300,000 or 25,000 per year" I'm not making any claims for my maths skills, but surely 300,000/5 = 60,000?

We went to Paris, stayed in an apartment in the city and went to Disneyland on two non-consecutive days out of a four day stay. With a bit of judicious googling I found some vouchers for discounted entry (offered on a French website but no requirement to be resident in France). We picked up breakfast on our way to the parks in the morning, on one day took a packed lunch and on another ate lunch at a restaurant immediately outside the park, and had dinner back in the city. It worked for us - after a whole day at Disney it was nice to have a day off, relax, and then go back. I'm pretty sure it didn't cost any more than if we had booked a Disney package for two nights. If you want to do it that way there are lots of apartment rental websites for Paris, and also reasonable chain hotels. If you stay near Nation station it's about 30 minutes to Disneyland by RER train.

"To ensure proper scrutiny on planning application 13/AP/3205 that appears to be driving this problem East Dulwch ward councillors Rosie Shimell and myself have requested the planning decision be decided by a committee of councillors IF council planning officers are minded to grant planning permission." The problem is not connected to the planning application in any meaningful way. If I was the applicant I'd be justifiably annoyed that local politicians appear to be taking into account irrelevant considerations when making planning decisions.

I'd also think seriously about Vancouver - it's got the West Coast vibe, plus very diverse and beautiful surroundings.

It's definitely the case that if you leave the house after dark you have a 50% chance of being murdered - or worse! And if your killer is ever caught they will be given a stern talking to and a lifetimes supply of haribo. The world has gone to the dogs. Down with this sort of thing!

"I think it has been established that he did not have a gun." Really? The inquest jury were asked: "Did Mr Duggan have the gun with him in the taxi immediately before the stop?" They answered unanimously 'yes'. http://dugganinquest.independent.gov.uk/docs/Jurys_Determination_and_Conclusion(1).pdf

The sentencing guideline for robbery indicates 4 years custody as the starting point for robbery with a knife. That it took place at night is an additional aggravating feature. http://sentencingcouncil.judiciary.gov.uk/guidelines/guidelines-to-download.htm In my experience knifepoint robbers have always got pretty chunky prison sentences, and the trend has been for longer, not shorter onbes. The idea that robbers get let off with a slap on the wrist is nonsense. Catching them though, is another matter. Helen, I hope your husband is feeling better - it must have been a terrible experience.

I would also recommend looking at Kent - Broadstairs, Ramsgate, Deal - and the Isle of Wight. Both have beaches and various stuff to do and lots of accommodation options.

"We are lucky to have in East Dulwich such a precious and priceless asset as Pretty's - a fruit and vegetable business run by a wonderful family who have the guts, commitment and stamina to have kept it going for so many years - always utterly professional and yet always delivered with honest genuine caring about the customer. If local bye law does not provide for protecting an asset such as this, then there is something fundamentally missing from the values of local government. Southwark Councillors other than James, where are you? We need to pick our battles in an age where sole trader businesses are becoming unable to compete with global chain establishments on the high street. This is surely one worth fighting if there is a hope of galvanising support ( like the successful campaign not to place a mobile phone mast on Dawson's Heights a few years back)." Do you not think you are overstating the case a little here? We already have property laws that have to strike a balance between the interests of freeholders in using their asset, and the interests of tenants who need some security. We also have planning laws that allow local authorities to make plans for particular neighbourhoods and then implement them via individual planning decisions. What exactly do you think is needed in addition? It's easy to call for new rules/powers when what you really want is a particular result in a particular case. It will be tough on Pretty's if they have to move, but if they are as good and as well supported as you say they are, they'll do OK.