evildrwallace

Anyone who thinks another supermarket could help East Dulwich in any way simply does not understand markets, economics, and the dynamics of an area like ours. We are extremely lucky to have a thriving high street like Lordship Lane that is relatively free from chains. Another supermarket taking business from East Dulwich Deli, SMBS, the East Dulwich Supermarket, Pretty Traditional, Moxon's, William Rose, etc. etc. will only make it harder for these wonderful outlets (apologies to those I haven't mentioned) to survive. What groceries could you possibly want that you can't get in these shops? When I tell colleagues at work that we do all our shopping on foot, locally, without using supermarkets at all (unless you count East Dulwich Supermarket - really a deli) they are universally jealous. If you want to drive to a soulless mass outlet you have only to go to the Sainsbury's at Dog Kennel Hill, surely this is enough. No, no, no, no, no. Do I make myself clear?

Major respect to bus driver of the 12 this morning. Handling one of those monsters on these roads would be nerve racking to say the least. (Sorry for posting non-advice/question, but it had to be said).

I saw two herons flying over Upland Rd. this afternoon and I think they were calling each other. I only looked up because I heard what I thought were geese, which often call as they fly, but they were definitely herons. I've seen a few flying around here over the years, and once had one in the garden, but I've never heard them call before. Never seen no pelican though...

Aah... that'll be it then.

Just so everyone's clear here - this thread is covering two distinct problems. Karrie's original post is about mobile phone type connection to the web whereas Ironjawcannon, Cora and the beautiful wee quinnie are talking about ADSL landline connection. Both real issues but extremely unlikely to be connected (so to speak). We'll probably be speaking to TalkTalk again tonight about the landline problem so I'll update in the unlikely event that we get anywhere with them.

Well, I know a few people who have: my mum wrote an autobiography of her childhood and had it published, and then went on to write a novel that was published as well, and I have a couple of published friends as well, but it's a lot of effort for not much reward. On top of the year it usually takes to write a book it can easily take that long again to get it published, even if it does get picked up - and that's by no means certain, all first time writers (unless already famous for something else) will receive many rejections. Once published your book will be just one of many thousands published each year and you'll be lucky to get it into your local bookshop, never mind on a display stand at WH Smiths. Sales will be in the hundreds, if you're lucky, and the bulk of your initial print run will invariably end up as land fill. This is not a pessimistic outlook, just realistic. The number of authors who make a living in the UK purely from book sales is ludicrously small (I have seen statistics for this some years ago and I seem to remember it being in the hundreds) and, from the look of the bestseller lists these days - dominated by ghost written biographies of page three girls etc. - I doubt this is changing for the better.

I agree with ????. I wouldn't like to pass judgement on its use by black rappers, for instance, but for a white honkey snowflake like me to use it would be racist in almost any circumstance.