Sue

Let us know how you get on!

I don't know how the law works, nor what rules cover what doctors can and can't say in their professional and private (?personal?) capacities, but on the face of it I agree that some of the comments quoted are unacceptable, to say the least. However, in the context of the subject of this thread, I think it is important to differentiate between antisemitism ("hostility to or prejudice against Jewish people") and hostility to the Israeli government's apparent attempted genocide of Palestinian civilians in retribution for the appalling attack on Israeli civilians by Hamas. I might be completely wrong here, and naive, and I am sure someone will correct me if I am, but it seems to me to be as if the English government had started trying to annihilate the whole of the Irish population because of the IRA bombings in the nineties. I also realise that there is a whole historic background to the Palestine/Israel thing, but I am not familiar with it. Anyway, I and everyone I know who has taken part in any of the recent marches has done so to try to get our government to stop supporting genocide, not because they are antisemitic. And yes there are other awful things going on in the world, and always have been. I can't fight all of them. One of my brothers has taken in three generations of a Ukrainian family. ETA: Do you really think it is OK to refer to people as "blacks"? Or am I wrong about that as well, and there is some reason why it is acceptable?

Now the "Goose Green" bus stop near Cafe Nero is closed due to roadworks. A very kind 37 driver let me off the bus at the corner of East Dulwich Grove this evening, probably breaking some rule (I hadn't asked him to open the doors, so I was pleasantly surprised when he did!)

If people live relatively nearby and travel to or work within the area regularly, I can't see that it matters where they live.

I bought this to repel the foxes who dug four huge holes in my tiny garden. I haven't used it, because as soon as I bought it the foxes disappeared! But maybe something to try?

I'm in Ulverscroft Road. So far as I know I'm getting all the post I'm expecting, but of course if there was anything not delivered which I wasn't expecting, I would never know until it eventually arrived. No problem at all with packets and parcels, and my postie is lovely!

Certainly true re AI, but from experience the TFL app isn't infallible either, sadly. ETA: Though I use it a lot to (try to) see when the bus is coming!

Sorry, HeadNun, but to say this is a "convenient truth" has made me very angry. How can I know why other people are on this march? That has nothing to do with me. How can I possibly say there is "not one single Jew hater" on the march? There will be thousands of people there. There may be people with knives and guns out to make trouble and kill, for all I know. There may be groups of flag waving fascists out to make trouble, for all I know. I may potentially be putting myself in more danger than if I stayed at home, went to North Cross Road market and the charity shops and had lunch out with my partner, which is my usual Saturday routine. I am going for the same reason as I have gone on other marches, to stand up and be seen to stand up for what I believe to be right. That is important to me, irrespective of why other people are there. Yes, serious peace talks are underway. And as I understand it, Israel continued attacking Palestinian civilians even after the peace talks started. Unless what I read in the Guardian online is inaccurate, or if I have misunderstood or misremembered it, which I have no way of knowing. I can't read the article you posted, because it is behind a paywall unless I agree to certain conditions, which I am not willing to do. I doubt if it has anything in it which is likely to change anything I have said above, but if you think it will, maybe you could post a precis on here? Oh, and according to one online source, Channel 4 news reported that Israel's imports of arms from the UK is at its highest level ever between August and September. How do you feel about that?

I agree with all that, but unfortunately there seem to be a significant number of people who are not so sensible.

But being against what the government in Israel is doing to Palestine is not being anti Jewish people? I lived with a Jewish man for seven years. I don't understand. It's the same thinking as kills and maims Palestinian people, including children, for what Hamas does. Jewish friends of mine are going on this march. Unfortunately there will always be unhinged individual people who perpetrate atrocities, whether associated with particular groups or not. ETA: And of course there is antisemitism in this country. My ex partner was very aware of it. He couldn't understand why anybody could hate him because of his Jewishness. But that is a different issue, isn't it?

Good thinking. It is a long time to sit. Pros and cons, obviously. My partner and I tend to prefer buses, even if a longer journey, but of course trains don't have traffic to contend with (though a problem if they break down en route, or a train ahead does!) Another point is, the earlier in the route you get on, the greatest chance of getting the seats of your choice! Ask ChatGPT for other suitable routes which don't involve sitting a long time in one place? Or if money is no object, a taxi? Still traffic, but no bus stops and would presumably take the quickest route?

I haven't been on a march since the first few, mainly because the strength of feeling seemed to be falling on totally deaf governmental ears. However I want to join in this one, partly because of the terrifying number of people who joined the recent right wing march, and partly because of the ridiculous definition of Palestine Action as a terrorist group. So I shall be making a Plasticine Action sign (being old and tottery and not particularly wishing to be arrested and dragged off and put in a cell). Is there a group of people going from East Dulwich? I no longer belong to the Labour Party, so I don't want to join that group. ETA: I just found out there is, so no need to answer the last bit!

Despite all the doomsaying, AI does have its uses!

Around seventy years ago on 5 November, a rocket from who knows where landed on my little sister's woolly hat when we were in the garden with sparklers. Another year when we were children, my neighbour's firework party ended very prematurely (but with a wonderful and unexpected display) when a rocket from elsewhere landed in their pile of fireworks waiting to be let off. Nobody was hurt on either occasion, but they could have been. I can't understand, when there is so much more legislation around health and safety and noise these days (and the environment) why the sale of fireworks is still permitted, apart from for public displays, and with a person properly qualified to set them off safely. Same with bonfires. Even fairly recently I went to a party in a community garden (not in London) where there were a load of small children near a very large bonfire, some of whom did not seem to be very well supervised. They were doing things like toasting marshmallows on sticks. I am unfortunately cursed with getting stressed very easily, and I spent most of the time worrying that a child was going to get hurt 😭

Apparently Google maps has settings for disability access, but I'm not sure how you do this. You would put in the start and finish point and set it for a disability friendly route It's the kind of thing that ChatGPT or similar would be good at finding a quick answer for, provided you then double check what it comes up with, but for something like this it should be very quick and accurate, I would have thought. Just give it all the information you have included above. Good luck!

My groceries are always delivered between the times agreed, so I've never found that stressful. I'd rather get fresh air and talk to people without combining it with travelling to a supermarket, pushing a trolley round trying to find all the items on my list, queuing up to pay, and then lugging home a load of groceries! But as you say, each to their own. It would be a dull old world if we were all the same, etc etc !

Nygel and I (aka The Goose Is Out!) have a Singaround Upstairs at The Castle in Crystal Palace Road this Sunday 12 October at 7pm. From 6pm beforehand in the same room, we are holding our first (hopefully the first of many) session for shy singers (people who love singing but who don't yet have the confidence to sing alone in front of other people). If this sounds like you and you would like more information, please message me on here or via our website Https://www.thegooseisout.com The shy singers session is free (if you would like to come to the main Singaround as well, that's £5. You don't have to sing - listeners are welcome too!) We hope it will be friendly and supportive, and we shan't be pushing people to sing by themselves until they feel ready, which probably won't be this first night! Any genre of song is welcome, although many people who come to our Singarounds do sing folk songs. We don't use mics at the Singarounds, and we won't be using them at the shy singers sessions either.

Yes, but the people who are doing it probably don't think about the effect on other people and animals. Without wishing to spoil others' enjoyment, I actually think fireworks should be banned for private purchase and only used in public displays. I thought at one point this was going to happen, but maybe I have misremembered. I think fireworks are potentially dangerous, as well as antisocial. Maybe sparklers are ok!

It's for this kind of reason that I get most of my supermarket groceries etc delivered! There are still sometimes hiccups, but it's not nearly as stressful as going to a large store like that.

Thanks, I've PMed you.

I stupidly managed to pull a pipe off my back house wall whilst trying to remove roses which had grown behind the pipe (ironically, so that they wouldn't grow too big and force the pipe off the wall 😭) The pipe snapped off at one end and wasn't particularly easy to replace, as it had been connected to my bathroom basin. Aria came out at short notice to see what needed doing, came back today with all the necessary parts, sorted it all out and charged a very reasonable price. Happy to recommend him (again!)

These lists are constantly appearing in various places, and they change every time. I sometimes suspect that they are written by estate agents trying to get a rise in house prices!

As in real life, people on the forum are very diverse in their characters. It would be very unfortunate if only "negative" people came to the forum drinks. It hasn't happened yet, as I think the people who came would agree! Also as in real life, some people on the forum have very strong views, and other people with equally strong views disagree with them. This can get tedious and repetitive. The forum drinks are supposed to be a social occasion, not for people to continue online arguments. Nobody has done that yet! In any case some people prefer not to divulge their forum names. I've never hidden my identity, on or offline, but I understand if other people have reasons to want to do that. Some people on here post under more than one forum name, which wasn't previously allowed unless one name was a business, so that makes things even more complicated!

Are you meaning me? Should I cancel the forum drinks then? Many people on here know me in real life, and hopefully they would not describe me like that 😭