Earl Aelfheah

So taking a space reserved for parents with children, when you have none, is not an inconsiderate act but justifiable revenge for the perceived selfishness of (all?) parents. Or is it righteous justice for someone failing to thank you for holding a door open? I never realised that taking a parking space that is a little closer to the supermarket was a political act, but I?m starting to see it now....

Who is Sainsburys to prevent you from parking where you like on their property? You are entitled to park anywhere and ignore their wishes. Anyone who suggests otherwise is self centred and has a terrible sense of entitlement.

Of course parents have a sense of entitlement when it comes to 'parent and child' spaces - they are entitled to use them. It's Sainsburys decision to designate the spaces such and it takes a special type of bitterness to look at a young Parent wrestling their shopping into the car whilst trying to hold on to their children and think 'that decadent barsteward with their slightly bigger parking space'. Get a grip.

Damian H Wrote: > I think a simple summary of the mentality you > don't seem able to grasp is that they wonder what > makes you think you are so special as to expect > special treatment to the detriment of others due > to the fact that you have chosen to have children > and take them shopping with you. I think you'll find that Sainsbury's are the ones who have designated the spaces for the use of 'parent and child'. If you fell that by doing this, they have somehow breached your rights as a childless person, why shop there. I dont' get the arguement that says "why don't you just park further away" and at the same time rails against having to park a little further away oneself. It seems to me that if Sainsbury's wish to offer customers with small children a little assistance in this way, it's up to them. Why would anyone without children resent it unless particular bitter or lazy?

If you have a baby, or a young child and baby, then it can be pretty difficult getting them out, holding them whilst locking the car, carrying them to a trolley, getting the trolley out whilst still holding them, then getting your kid in etc. It's even more difficult on the way back, with the shopping as well. Having a slightly wider space, close to the 'car seat' trolleys and not too far from the store can be a real help. Sainsbury's recognise this and so designate a relatively small number of spaces for young famillies and locate special trolleys next to them. It's frustrating when you see a young, able bodied person swoop in and park there because they're just too lazy to walk a couple of extra metres and have no desire to understand some of the logistics of shopping with young children. That's a sense of entitlement. It's clearly not the most important issue in the world, but for some it's an irritant and they are perfectly entitled to discuss it. If it doesn't bother you, if you're not interested, then why would you even bother to comment?

There isn't really a problem with turning once you reach the dotted line IMO, except that some people undertake at speed, using the bus lane and then make it dangerous to get across.

Most of the 'quirkier' places are to be found in surrounding neighbourhoods (Brixton, Camberwell, Peckham and New Cross). ED is great, but reasonably conservative for nights out. Frank's cafe on top of Peckham multistorey carpark is around until end of sept and a bit different. Welcome to the area.

RebeccaG Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Just come out of peckham pulse and there was a big > crowd on the main road and lots of people running > to get away. Apparently they were breaking into > ladbrookes. Blimey, what are the odds?

DJ talks about the whole community standing up to these people. I completely agree, but where does that start, if not with a few brave individuals taking the lead. The jogger didn't turn round and thump anyone, he stopped running because someone was shouting at him. When a weapon was pulled he stood his ground. He was not the aggressor in the scenario described, but neither did he allow himself to be intimidated. It shows courage and will ensure that these kids are not further emboldened in future.

maybe it's been recycled

I have a 22 month old and a 2 month old. Any ideas where to take them to get them out the house on a rainy day in Dulwich?

I have been there a few times and found the service really friendly.

tomk Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Most of these recent posts about 'exclusivity' are > just empty rhetoric. All school catchments based > on distance exclude. Well yes, but it does represent and strengthen the local community. Segregating children along religious lines is inherently divisive. >It > is important to note that the admissions criteria > for St Ants does not exclude non-catholics. In practice, yes, it does. > In response to some of the other points: > > A. St Ant's catchment for last year was > geographically bigger than most other ED schools. > - strange for such an 'exclusive' school - > furthest was I believe Nunhead. Yes, it draws from a wider catchment area, because it excludes those from the local area, by discriminating on religious grounds. > B. Almost all students live in SE22, one or two > SE15 or Forest Hill. The parking issue is being > stirred up for some of the reasons alluded to > above (anti-faith schools, anti-Catholic - search > the thread titled something like 'St Anthony's > Catholic school for idiots' if you don't believe > me). You points above suggest that there probably is going to be more of an issue with people driving to the Shcool (as they are coming from further afield. As for opposition to faith schools being anti catholic, this is nonsense. I am catholic, but I do not agree with dividing children along faith lines. But hey, if it says it on the EDF then it > must be true, right? Clowns, anyone? > > C. The idea that St Ant's is not > multicultural/representative of the local > community? I personally know parents whose > ethnicity may be described as(though at the school > we don't really care about where you come from): > African (Nigerian, Ghanaian); Caribbean; Spanish; > Filipino; Portuguese;Lithuanian; Polish; Indian; > Malaysian; Irish; English; Welsh; Italian; Puerto > Rican. And this is just me personally. Again, it's > a lazy stereotype about the school which people > don't apply to DVI, St Johns and St Clement, Heber > etc despite their clear parallels. > The point about lack of diversity was not made in relation just to St Anthonys, but faith schools in general - some faith schools, in certain areas do lead to segregation not only along religious lines (although actually this is bad enough), but also to segregation along ethnic and cultural lines). > D. As for the nonsense about 'it's the parents' > religion, not the child's - how ironic!' I would > question exactly which parents in ED allow their > 4yr old children to choose their own school. In my > book that would be negligent parenting, not > irony. No one allows a 4 year old to choose their school. But this is the school selecting the child according to the character and beliefs of their parents. Not sure how this is ironic though. > E. It's the best school in ED, due to its > catholicity, excellent leadership and teachers, > and very committed parents. Yes a good school, which excludes many for who it is their nearest school, because it doesn't like their parent's beliefs.

silverfox Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > "..NOTW interfered with a murder enquiry, deleting > phone messages and potentially destroying > evidence..." > > It is alleged the private investigator did this, > not the NoW. Yes, a private investigator paid by the NoW

Here's a good article, explaining why this matters: http://www.spectator.co.uk/essays/7075673/what-the-papers-wont-say.thtml

NOTW interfered with a murder enquiry, deleting phone messages and potentially destroying evidence. There is now a suggestion that they may have been bribing police and they certainly intimidated politicians. News International are hugely powerful, to the point that they have, for a long time, been above the law.

Sounds like the work of the dulwich hunt. http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Sport/Pix/columnists/2009/6/9/1244576220572/Fox-hunting-001.jpg

there is no place for dogs in a civilised society.

According to TFL, there are two an hour. Don't know if this is right or not?

It's not just about Catholic Schools, it's about all faith schools. But I can tell you from my own experience of going to a Catholic school, that it was far from diverse. It did not reflect the community it was in and this was a result of its admissions policy. Clearly this will vary from area to area, but generally if you segregate according to religion, you are likely to increase the probability of there being an indirect effect on diversity generally. Even if you take the racial and cultural element out of it, the state is still segregating along faith lines, which in itself is pretty indefensible IMO.

@Alexthecamel - I am not expressing an issue with Catholicism. I am expressing an issue with the state funding exclusive schools which divide children along religious lines. As for religious segregation also dividing along racial and cultural lines, the degree to which this happens varies from place to place clearly, but is very real in certain areas.

I have no strong views on Alleyn's specifically but the whole 'charitable status for private schools' thing is ludicrous. I really can't see how it's justified.

Tarot Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Maybe a grocers that sells real spanish onions. as opposed to fake spanish onions, which i can't stand.

If you walk up Villiers street from Embankment tube you'll find a chain of them. As you get past one you're confronted by the next. By the time You reach the strand you'll probably be dragging two of them along with you as they cling to you legs.

Despite everything I keep reading about the flagging state of the housing market, can anyone confirm whether prices in ED have actually dropped at all? Just looking in Estate Agent windows it would appear not, but I know that there is a big difference between asking prices and selling prices.