Marmora Man

Well I still have the tea and sugar jars I purchased for the first flat I bought back in 1979 - so tey've tood the tet of time. Have just bought an Ipod (first ever) and may soon start to thibnk this is pretty good too.

Don't forget the FErris Wheel scene in The Tird Man - as I'm in Vienna today I just had to go and see it. Slightly disappointing - rather small and in an amusement park shut down for the winter. IT all looked a bit unloved. Still, it was a great film.

Mid fifties, bald & bearded and my name is Ian. Those that are inclined could probably draw up a fairly detailed dossier on many of the regulars here - perhaps enuf to steal and identity?

Alternative - stay in pyjamas all day, eat pizza, & ice cream. Drink champagne. Watch old movies. Ignore Christmas.

According to Saturday's Times some of this was written by a British speechwriter - I agree that Barack Obama can certainly deliver a great speech tho'.

Like Giggirl I felt the enthusiasm on Tuesday night at a party, eating chilli, drinking Bud and watching the US presidential election results come in. Like her I also feel a bit like a party pooper in offering criticism of Barack Obama or being cynical about his election. I believe he is more intelligent that Tony Blair and I hope my cynicism is misplaced. Barack Obama's speech making is magnificent and his rhetoric is mesmerising but we should be aware - he hasn't done anything yet and his policies have yet to be articulated So a bit of rain on the parade - here goes: The range of opinion about Barack Obama's election seems to have two extremes - the BBC, the Guardian the European Union, Greenpeace, EDF and similarly inclined groupings believes he is a fusion of Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther King and the second coming. At the other extreme those disinclined to see a black president seem to believe he will surround himself with Black Panther bodyguards and declare Ebonics the official language of America. Both opinions are clearly wrong and neither worth commenting on. The new presidency is no more about having a black man in charge than New Labour was about having Scottish voices in government. It?s about a desire for change ? brought about more by the failed policies of the outgoing administration and president than the new exciting candidate. The Barack Obama presidency now has no political opposition except a group of neo-cons who disgraced themselves during the Bush presidency - the parallels with 1997 in UK are obvious. In Barack Obama there is now a figurehead that cannot be mocked or even criticised without risk of the most horrid accusations. Barack Obama cannot be more stupid in his actions or more embarrassing in his utterances than Mr Bush has been. HOwever, his essential function as President will be to look after the perceived interests of America ? not redress every wrong in the world. Predictions: 1. Barack Obama got his campaign funds in the usual way - from business interests that will now want their reward ? yes he harnessed the internet and thousands of small contributions but he is, like so many US presidents before him, in hock to big donors and pressure groups. He will need to operate within a political and economic system that remains dominated by those donors and businesses. There will be no big shift in real power or economic strategy in the US ? except that Democrats, and their supporters, typically have isolationist / protectionist tendencies so we?ll see imposition of tariffs and a lack of engagement in free trade talks. 2. With majorities in both the Senate and Congress the Democratic party can enact almost any legislation it likes. The Democrats are fully signed up the Al Gore view of global warming and the carbon reduction, renewable energy and anti nuclear energy policies that go with it. This may lead to expensive carbon reduction programmes and will not help stem the threatening global recession. 3. There will be a politically fudged withdrawal from Iraq ? handing over control and power to an under-trained Iraqi army and corrupt Iraqi politicians while claiming to have brought stability and democracy to that country. 4. There will be an increase in US military action in Afghanistan and the British will play a major part in that action ? cheerleading the new strategy. Western soldiers will continue to die thousands of miles from home for no discernible benefit to the US or Britain. 5. Within a year or so, the non-whites and many others who are celebrating the Obama victory around the world will have noticed that nothing much has changed as it affects their lives. Some, probably led by Reverend Jesse Jackson, will denounce him as a white man with a black face.

A cure: Go to bed with bottle of whisky and a hat. Bed needs bed posts. Take a drink of whisky and hang hat on left hand bed post. Take another drink of whisky and hang hat on other bed post. Take a third drink and place hat on original bed post. Continue until: a. Cured b. You can't see the bed posts any more c. You don't give a damn

On MOnday morning a team from the waterworks project were trying to clean up the road and pavement - with little joy it seems. It seems to have all dried out now but the road looks a mess - I don't think it's splashing onto cars any more, unless it's soluble in rain.

Saw it last night - lots of action but the story line is impossible to follow. In one sequence Bond flies to Austria, spies on some people, has a few fights, kills the bodyguard to the Prime Minister's key advisor and is next seen driving a motor launch toward an Italian villa set on the coast somewhere. No explanations. I think it was about a nasty secretive organisation called Quantum (SMERSH for 21st century?) who were down to corner the South American water market. A plot was foiled, JB managed to avenge the death of Vespa, masses of car chases, gun fights, explosions but low on logic - there was no neat ending and so many loose ends you could have woven a new hairpiece for Sean Connery.

Thanks for info

I no longer see the details of new threads against the different sectors - ie Lounge, East Dulwich etc. I used to see this update and decide whether to open and have a look see or not. I also used it to control number of unread threads and thus reduce loading time. Have I done something - or has the system done something?

No list of great scenes can exclude this one: Le Marseillaise

We're all familiar with images of WWI and WWII but I attach an image from more recent conflict - 42 Commando's tour of Helmand last year. The marine was resting after a firefight - part of a longer patrol and action over a period of 10 days. Today the Royal Marines are again in Helmand province and more than 50% of the current UK military effort in that country is being provided by naval personnel. The image is called "Interlude" and was created from an unposed photograph taken by a naval photographer attached to the Commando Brigade. The photo was then used to create a mixed media image incorporating bits of uniform and equipment used and worn in Afghanistan - this can be seen in the copy of the print attached. To me it is evocative of the exhaustion of combat. It is worth remembering that for every story of a service man killed there will be approximately four seriously wounded (loss of a limb or more) and many more with minor injuries. That doesn't take account of the many that experience post traumatic stress. Hence the continuing need for the British Legion and Poppy Day collections.

Answers: 1. No sales yet - but ready to sell to any buyer. 2. Not sure myself why the cat"ty" references except that some people find Ms Harman something of a sourpuss. 3. The Miaow reference takes up the catty theme but - again - I'm at a loss to explain.

I was outside Somerfield's last year - which worked well.

Friends of mine are selling these elegant T shirts to make a statement about our esteemed MP - Harriet Harman. Should you be interested in purchasing one at a bargain price of ?9.50 - PM me. You could always use HH's image to polish the car or dust the house with!

I'll be there - about 8.15

Pizzeria Castello was fantastic - first started eating there in 1983. Garlic bread sublime - could smell it 200 yards down the Old Kent Road.

The Royal British Legion does sterling work - the impression that it's all about the drinking club is completely wrong. They are a force for good and support all veterans in a huge variety of ways. I remember my father explaining to me that the Legion helped him and my mother with a small loan to buy pram and baby clothes when I was born in the 50's. More currently the Legion is at the forefront of campaigning for, and providing financial, social and emotional support to, serving and retired military personnel and their families - which, even today, means almost 20% of the British population (10.5 million). It's website says: The Legion was founded in 1921 as a voice for the ex-Service community and over 380,000 members continue to ensure that this voice does not go unheard. Although the needs of ex-Service people have changed over the years, we are still there to safeguard their welfare, interests and memory. British service people are in action around the world every day of the year. They know that if they need our support - now or in the future - the Legion is always on active duty for them. See Royal British Legion

The principal houses are Victorian and date from 1880's - and thus the Crimean War would have been fresh in people's minds. Who knows, perhaps the builder / speculator took part in the war? The 1920's houses are all on extensions of the original roads.

Thanks to CCllr Paul Kyriacou, Executive Member for Community Safety, who pursued this matter for me I have received an e-mail stating that there are no CCTV cameras on Marmora Road and that the signs will be taken down. No explanation as to how the siutaion arose though. From: Gentry, Ian Sent: 21 October 2008 10:49 To: Kyriacou, Paul Cc: St Matthew-Daniel, Christine Subject: FW: CCTV on Marmora Road Hello Paul, Just returned from leave and have been advised that there are no cameras belonging to Environmental Enforcement in the area. I shall now have these signs removed. Please forward my apologies to Mr. Whitehouse for any unnecessary concern these signs may have caused. Kind regards, Ian

I'd heard Foxtons were downsizing - moving out of current premises and into a single Mini.

I find myself with some time to spare and am considering travelling independently (ie no travel company involved) overland from UK to Cairo - taking in Vienna, Istanbul, Aleppo, Damscus, Amaan, Jerusalem and Cairo - then flying home over three weeks. I have spent some time in the Middle East (Kuwait, UAE, Saudi etc) so comfortable in Muslim countries but have not visited Syria / Jordan. I would be grateful for any advice - particularly on visas and road / rail travel in these two countries. One particular question - the visa info for Syria states I should have a return ticket - but I intend to trevel through the country to Jordan but don't want to tie myself to a specific timetable or itinerary. Is there a way I can get around the return ticket conundrum? I do know I have to leave Israel to be the penultimate country - after I've seen Syria & Jordan due to the "Israel Stamp in Passport" issue.

I'll be selling poppies again on Lordship Lane - and helping people to remember the casualties of current and more recent wars as well as the dead of the FIrst World War.