Earl Aelfheah

fazer71 - seriously man, I think the sleep deprivation is affecting your mood. If earplugs don't work, I would recommend a few glasses of Scotch.

I don't believe there are huge differences between the two main parties policy wise. Their manifestos don't really tell you much of substance, and as the next government is going to be in coalition anyway, the parties can jettison any part of the manifesto during 'negotiations' should they wish. Besides, who knows what sort of decisions will have to be made over the course of the next parliament? Personally, I think it's more important to come to a view on the parties general 'orientation' towards issues. This at least provides some very general clues as to how a parties future decisions are likely to align with your own preferences. For me, in very general terms, the Tories are about a small state, individualism, trickle down economics. Labour are more about stronger state services, collectivism, some redistribution of wealth. The latter proposition is for me much more convincing, but others will have their own view (or may entirely disagree with my characterisations of the main two parties).

midivydale Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > People that wont "move down inside the carriage > using all available space". .... and people who insist on standing between the front door and the stairs on the bus, even though the top deck is half empty. "I'll just stop as soon as I have got both feet on the bus, I'm sure none of those queuing behind me had any interest in getting on, they're probably just taking in the sights and sounds of the bus stop".

If I intervened every time I saw someone doing something I personally considered unwise, I wouldn't get anything else done.

david_carnell Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Bunch of busybodies! > > Should you "have a word with him"? No. Mind your > own bloody business. He's not breaking any laws. I > see a guy going up and down Crystal Palace Rd on a > bike with his young son (aged 5 or 6) on a small > bike in front of him. I think how wonderful that > he's teaching his son road skills. Totally agree.

Fair enough, as I said, I didn't actually see it. Thought it sounded a bit odd.

Didn't catch question time debates last night but hear Milliband ruled out coallition with SNP. That's the end of his chances of being PM then.

Children transported by bike shocker.

If it's taxed and insured, it's entitled to be there. It is a shame that it permanently obscures the artwork though.

Why would anyone want to visit a cinema, a pub, or a restaurant, when they have a TV, beer and some food in their house?

Just seen the 'Millibrand' interview - went very well for Ed in my opinion.

Electric, pay as you go, hire cars (zip cars) are probably the future for inner cities. Especially once driverless technology really takes off - but it'll be a long time coming / big culture change.

.... but any way you cut it - for the Tories to base their whole re-election campaign around supposed economic success seems to me, a bit shaky.

Clearly it's a matter of debate. But I think a strong case for the negative impact of austerity policies on economic recovery can be made. Just saw this for example... Nobel prize-winning, Princeton Economist Paul Krugman on the 'austerity delusion' http://www.theguardian.com/?/?/apr/29/the-austerity-delusion

Callie Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Hotel_Review-g186338- > d1454087-Reviews-Dulwich_Bed_and_Breakfast-London_ > England.html Blimey. Those reviews are pretty grim

Jeremy Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Building more housing? In London? When will this > madness end? :-)

It's more than that though. Their policies have actively harmed recovery.

...that said, Labour (rather depressingly) aren't offering an alternative economic vision.

The Tories campaign seems to be predicated on their 'superb' handling of the economy. It's bizarre. An economy that has been virtually flat lining over their entire term. They choked off growth when they took office by talking down the economy and cutting spending, instead of filling the void left by the retreat of private investment. We've seen a small amount of growth since they effectively hit the pause button on deficit reduction, but otherwise it's been a decade of stagnation. The reality is that the conservatives are ideologically wedded to shrinking the state at any economic cost.

It's not a war on the motorist, no.

Horniman has an overstuffed Walrus you can nuzzle up to.

There is a skatepark in Peckham Rye.

On 'Labour's Profligacy' - http://mainlymacro.blogspot.co.uk/2015/04/mediamacro-myth-2-labour-profligacy.html

To be fair Brixton Village Market was down on it's knees and would probably have closed completely had it not been for the 'incomers'. The reason it was 'rejuvenated' in the first place was because, with so many empty units, the owners offered cheap space for 'pop ups' - just to get some occupancy in there. I think it's been a great success for the area personally. There are some serious problems in London to do with cost of living, particularly housing and rapacious property developers. But I have a real problem with people marching through the streets telling certain people that they're not welcome.

There are some choice quotes here on Banking regulation from the Tories in 2007. https://tompride.wordpress.com/2012/06/29/lest-we-forget-in-2007-cameron-endorsed-even-less-regulation-of-banks-than-labour/