blinder999

Thanks for being driven by a desire to make London a better place to live for all of us. I don't think there's any other successful politician with the same motivation.

Ms B Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Ms B's guide to London traffic light sequence: > > Red - Stop, revving engine to encourage > pedestrians to cross the road quickly; do not use > handbrake as this will stop you rolling backwards > and forwards like an idiot; if on a bike you may > go straight ahead, swearing at all comers > Red + amber - go, spinning wheels and burning > rubber > Green - go > Amber - accelerate > Just turning red - accelerate, staring straight > ahead; if driving a bus or taxi, you have right of > way. not bad, but you forgot the special rules for pedestrians: green man: walk into road - mobile phone/ipod optional red man: walk into road with mobile phone clamped firmly to right ear - do not under any circumstances look in the direction of oncoming traffic - swear furiously at anyone who alerts you to their presence absence of traffic signals: see rule for red man

citizenED Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > The ones at the top might seem the same on the > surface, but the ones behind them, the ones on the > backbenches and in the constiuences - that's where > to look. Behind GB are hordes of fair-minded > individuals who want to bring in policies about > equality. Lined up behind DC are hordes of people > who want to stop "them" getting any more of the > pie. that's my suspicion too. As Cameron has convinced people he's a good guy, the hordes behind are happy to keep their mouths shut and go along with him. Then when they're in power, it won't be long before they slash spending on the NHS and education, and everything else. After fifteen years of that, it'll be Labour's turn again.

Marmora Man Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > To meet Boris is to believe he is > a genuinely caring person. To meet Ken (which I > haven't done - so this is less certain but what I > infer from his own statements, observations and my > prejudice) would be to meet a scheming egotist who > uses all sections of society to pursue his own > ideological ends rather than to serve and support > different sections of society. To meet Ken (which I haven't...'??? 'a genuinely caring person' - my personal political outlook and knowledge of Johnson acquired from his public profile lead me to believe that he's just another would-be aristocrat with a misplaced sense of entitlement - a classic example of a fairly stupid person who has received the best education money can buy. IMO he 'genuinely cares' about acquiring power for its own sake, because he loves the high public profile, and the self-enriching possibilities it can provide. As long as he gets a few more quid in the bank to keep his kids at Eton, and maybe a fancy title at the end of it, he'll be more than happy to be a puppet on a string for whatever group of unelected nasty party sympathisers Cameron appoints.

Brendan Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > I am sure you are right Sean. Although I warn you > now that no matter how eloquently and > intelligently you challenge my prejudices I shall > stick with hard-jawed belligerence to my dislike > of that smug, squeaky voiced crook. sad, Toynbee's quite right:

Moos Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > I feel a bit mean saying this given that > presumably lots of local teachers and parents have > put a lot into improving local schools, but would > those statistics look the same if one were to take > into account the strong overall rise in > GSCE/A-level results in the same period? According to the BBC (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/7050451.stm), nationally: "In 1995-1996, the number achieving five good GCSEs was 35.2% - with an 11.3% percentage point increase since then." so yes, the improvements still look very impressive

david_carnell Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Launching an attack on a easy stereotype is > neither big nor clever. It goes off on a > unnecessary tangent from the original point of the > thread and is crass and insensitive, to say the > least. thanks, that's much better

david_carnell Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > When we clashed on the topic of schools, James, I > gave you the benefit of the doubt. > > As Abe Lincoln once said: > > Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than > to speak out and remove all doubt. Calling James a fool rather than arguing your point doesn't win the argument for you.

what does 'happen to the children through this system' Steve? Just curious.

dulwichmum Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > I am off to buy a whole new wardrobe as this thread is depressing! We've got a couple out back you can have for a fiver http://www.scotsindependent.org/2005/050304/steptoe%20and%20son.jpg

IHT wouldn't be an issue if the government had made any attempt to put the brakes on the ridiculous house price rises of the last decade, eg by taxing buy-to-let out of existence. But it's hardly surprising they didn't do anything about it, as many of them were building up their own extensive property portfolios.

He was definitely there on Saturday 12th April according to his own website: http://www.backboris.com/news/april/12_04_08_tower_southwark.php

on the forum I thought we'd all gone for...

"...further investigations by the Standard show that the far-Right party's 10-strong list of candidates includes: Chris Forster, a psychic who, according to his website, specialises in the "use of the crystal ball, clairvoyance and mediumship" to "develop opportunities" for businesses and individuals. He promotes himself as "the only qualified internal auditor and accountant working full-time as a psychic". Roberta Woods, who was recently employed in an important branch of the legal system, despite a conviction for contempt of court. During her attachment to the Legal Services Commission, which distributes legal aid, she complained the legal aid budget was going to too many "aliens". Lawrence Rustem, a man of mixed race allowed into the BNP because, in the words of one of his fellow candidates, he is "only half a wog". John Clarke, who was reported to police by a London council after setting up a front address and falsifying his nomination papers to stand in the last borough elections. Richard Barnbrook, also the BNP's mayoral candidate, who directed a gay porn film, HMS Discovery. "

snorky Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > this was always going to be a problem, as many of the products traded are impossible to value or attcch any meaningful > risk value to them - this isnt exactly new and has been an issue for a deacde or more in my field - I am surprised that > so many top tier financials got involved in such waste products quite right dad http://www.scotsindependent.org/2005/050304/steptoe%20and%20son.jpg

> Did for a year, many years back before all the > congestion charging/CO2 emissions business. Wasn't > very fit at the time so arriving everywhere > exhausted and drenched in sweat was not ideal. But > eventually stopped because of feeling intimidated > by hardcore cyclists shouting at me when I was at > the front of the q at the lights so that they > could buzz thru and run the red. I'm very surprised - perhaps depends on where or when you're riding. I've cycled to and from Central London for about seven years (rush hour only), and although I have seen many cyclists ride past me through red lights, I can honestly say that I've never been intimidated or shouted at by any of them.

> (sorry, not much perspective kept in the end, but > this is a topic that really gets my blood up) as a cyclist, a motorcyclist, car driver, and a bus user, I would really like you to give cycling a try before you rant about this yet again.

Comic Sans MS is a useful typeface when making TEFL materials for kids whose first language doesn't use the Roman alphabet, as the letters (eg 'a') come out the same as they are expected to write them. I used it all the time when making puzzles etc in Japan.

indeed, shame about the retraction, but the initial exchange surely means you need to break out the knife and fork! "Do you believe in God?" "No" All that guff after the event is disappointing, as is his decision to allow his wife to indoctrinate their kids.

david_carnell Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > I'm no fan of Blair but I'll eat my hat when a > party leader comes out as a devout atheist. chow down David: Nick Clegg says: 'I don't believe in God'

I support the 20mph measures. And I'm gobsmacked that a motorcyclist would refer to someone they've mown down as 'some cycling @#$%&', having put him in hospital as a result of ignoring Highway Code Rule 211 (and having handed responsibility for looking carefully to a lorry driver of all people) "Motorcyclists and cyclists 211 It is often difficult to see motorcyclists and cyclists, especially when they are coming up from behind, coming out of junctions, at roundabouts, overtaking you or filtering through traffic. Always look out for them before you emerge from a junction; they could be approaching faster than you think. When turning right across a line of slow-moving or stationary traffic, look out for cyclists or motorcyclists on the inside of the traffic you are crossing. Be especially careful when turning, and when changing direction or lane. Be sure to check mirrors and blind spots carefully."

You are not an advanced driver - you are a maniac who should revisit the highway code and learn from your dangerous mistakes before you kill yourself or someone else (and I have held a full motorbike license for twenty years) : "My biggest problem with cyclists is those who undertake at speed behind and to the left of lorries or vans ie they are hidden, so that as the lorry driver flahes his lights to let me turn right in front of him I have to be doubly careful in case some cycling @#$%& is undertaking that lorry. I hit one doing just that once and I was the one whose insurance company had to pay fifteen grand odd to the cyclist."

Jah Lush Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Oi! Marsattacks. Check your ego at the door. > You should check for Snorky's hilarious > witheringly scornful local pub reviews on > beerintheevening.com. Pure genius. seconded

just another night out for SeanMcG and Spadetownboy **EDIT curses beaten to it**

kford Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > By the way, plenty of people 'forget' to pay their > TfL fares without recompense - figures out last > week suggest that fare-dodging accounts for a > whopping ?52.3m lost in 2007, including ?6.4m on > bloody bendy buses alone. Why not go after them? > Fine them ?120, it's a more direct theft of money > that would otherwise be used to expand transport > in London. Oh, no, that would be too hard - these > people are too hard to track down, not wearing > number plates and being registered to DVLA and all > that. > from the Thisislondon boards (just to point out that fare evaders do appear to get some attention from the hobby bobbies) : "When my daughter left her East Dulwich, South London home today, August 22nd she was looking forward to attending her friendly, therapeutic yoga class. Little did she know that the London Transport had their own plans for her that were far from friendly or therapeutic! Anita, like many Londoners, uses public transport and regularly purchases the local travel card, the Oyster Card, for use on the London Underground, bus routes, etc. On arrival at Elephant & Castle, Central London and alighting from the bus, she and the other passengers were met by a hoard of Community Police Officers, who proceeded in pairs, to question each passenger about their tickets or travel cards. What ever happened to Ticket Inspectors? Anita was surprised to hear that her Oyster Card had not registered her fare. The officers announced that she had not paid the bus fare, to which Anita replied that no - she was sure she had, because she had swiped the card on entering the bus and felt sure it had registered. This was of no importance though and the officers rudely informed Anita that she would be fined ?20.00 for fare evasion. Anita objected and explained that her Oyster Card was valid and there was enough money on it to cover the fare. How could she know if the machine on the bus worked properly? The officers did not care and demanded to know where Anita lives- her full name and address, which she told them. They asked her for ID. They then asked if she shared her flat with anyone, who that person might be and who else lived in the building! Anita was annoyed by this intrusion and refused to tell them. She tried to explain that she had an appointment to keep but the Community Officers told her to stay where she was and said they would take as long as they liked, they then beckoned to two uniformed Police Officers nearby. Anita looked around, other people were just quietly giving their details without complaint. Anita asked why they were involving the police and one of the Community Officers told her ?don?t get funny with me.? Anita, still pleading her innocence, was then surrounded by the four officers and the two policemen told her to ?shut up and stop causing trouble? or they would throw her in the back of a paddy wagon and take her to the station for questioning. Passers-by were stopping and staring, and Anita felt very intimidated and afraid. She took a few steps back and the police moved forward towards her, she then tried to walk away and was followed by the uniformed police. Would she be tased? Anita asked if they were shadowing her and they told her to behave and ?move along, we?re watching you.? She walked away from them. Her day ruined and in tears, Anita missed the yoga class and returned home in shock to go over the experience again in her head. How could this have happened, what is going on here? Anita is law-abiding, tax-paying citizen, she has no criminal record and has never been in any sort of trouble but now fears that her details will be going on a secret data-base, something she had hoped to somehow avoid. She and her friends suspect that the purpose of this exercise is more about gathering information on citizens than collecting money. "