bawdy-nan

The popularity of Staffies and Staffie crosses is becoming a problem in London. Whilst the dogs, in the right hands, have a reputation (amongst owners) of being very good around humans (they are known as the "nanny" dog) it is true that unless they're properly trained they can be aggressive. Male Staffies, in particular, can be aggressive around other dogs. Its probably this that has led to their being used for dog-fighting. Its a growing problem in some parts of London, though I'm not sure its a major one in Southwark. In some parts of London (Hammersmith, for example) there have been quite a few attacks in parks on people by dogs of the Staffie "type". I visited a dogs home recently where more than 2/3 of all the dogs being taken in were staffies or staffie crosses. Lots of them were difficult to re-home because they were aggressive. Personally, I've come across more and more of these dogs and they often seem to be wielded like a weapon or status symbol rather than walked. I can see that not all dogs are dangerous and I can also see that it is not unreasonable for a child to be scared of a beast with big teeth bearing down upon it. I'd be sad to see a park without a dog, somewhere, running very fast to catch a stick. I'd like to see less money spent on signage and fences and more money spent on people - old fashioned parkies perhaps. There are lots of problems with keeping pets in the city. I'd like to see a return to dog-licensing - maybe with a short test on animal welfare and safety attached to it.

I assume its private money because the logo is primarily a tool for making money and the olympics are only part funded by public money. The olympic "brand" is heavily policed - that is, you can't just take advantage of the fact that you're a London business and start selling "lovely olympic pies", for example. Everything that has a commercial potential around the olympics brand is controlled because it can be sold. Companies are licensed to use the logo in the same way companies are licensed to use Harry Potter or kids tv characters. Its a very big part of generating money to pay for the "thing" itself.

I think the pictures have already been published in The Sun haven't they? I also think that the idea of showing someone's dying moments on tv is revolting but I don't think that this is what is being shown at all. At least, thats what the, really-quite-sane-sounding-documentary-maker is saying. Having said that, of course, if its so irrelevant and grainy and impossible to see there should hardly be any objections to removing the pix. As far as death and dead people on tv goes - we see it a lot on the news don't we? Its just usually poor people from other countries - whilst some people would say they shouldn't be shown either there's rarely a furore about that. I'm frankly, bored by the while Diana thing and, at the time of her death, was astonished and rather ashamed by the mass hysteria it provoked. The thing is, I'll probably flick over to see what the fuss is about and whether its saying anything new. What a hypocrite I am. (edited for simply terrible spelling)

We've got a cheese block / smbs one, a william rose, a sainsbury's hessian type, one from dulwich going green and a lovely one from bobees saris which has cane handles. My favourite is William Rose - big enough to get some shopping in, long handles, slightly padded for minimal shoulder dig. Mr BN swears by the cane handled one, though I much prefer something to go over the shoulder in order to maximise grocery heft. Glad I picked up this thread again. I saw the score-card in SMBS but was bemused as there were no bags or pics (as far as I could see) to choose from. Mystery solved.

I am too old. I just don't understand what facebook is for. I've asked people who (don't what the verb is - "to facebook") "do it" but can't really get to the bottom of it. It makes me feel like I'm 84.

The cloth bag contingent have cottoned on to this scheme. Its a community grant scheme from southwark council which can be applied for online (more information here). Essentially they're looking for projects that will help to make the community cleaner, greener and safer. There often seems to be lots of ideas here on the forum so here's a chance to make them happen. Deadlines's July 16th.

You can join. "FONC" for about ?2 a year. It is indeed an excellent day out. When I went last there was a contingent of swanky goths and a stall displaying models of funerary vehicles. V good.

I myself do indeed love a bit of spot the grammatical mistake. If you are interested only chav in ED you might try the truly splendid and surreal "Never mind the Full Stops" on BBC4. I fair split my sides yesterday as Stewart Lee and Patricia Hodge trounced the other team. I am typotastic myself, of course. I wonder, are you coming here looking for a fight because the Plough is closed refurbishment?

Why not make it an ed wide competition (also publicising the forum?). If someone can knock up a pdf poster then anyone from the forum could print it out and put it up where they go (cafes, libraries, schools, shops, lamposts etc). I'm sure you wouldn't have to have the winning design before the application, in fact, it may be a more attractive proposition if you don't and the competition is part of the application (promoting "green" awareness, involving and connecting many parts of the community - businesses, schools, etc).

I think Saturday is one of the most extraordinary and marvellous books I've read in a long time. Would have thrown John Banville's The Sea to the bottom of the briney though. Recently read The Virgin Suicides by Jeffrey Egenides. It was ok but kind of petered out. I re-read the end a couple of times becasue I couldn't quite remember if I'd finished it.

v good - I want some! If it takes off maybe you could develop an ED paninni (?) sticker album?

Congratulations!

posted in error

Have you been to the Ivy House - just across Peckham Rye in Nunhead. Its fantatstic and has an amazing back room complete with little stage and lots of red and gold. Would do beautifully for such an evening. I went to see Dulwich Ukelele Club play there around Christmas time. Packed to the gills and whilst the strummers themselves weren't bad the evening was stolen by the support act a one-legged pensioner who sang short dirty ditties and got the whole place roused in a sing-a-long. Truly, I have never experienced the like of it before or since. In any case - you should check it out - its a great venue.

oh - just go to Green and Blue. Its not that pricey - just buy 2 bottles of deliciousness instead of three... Last week I defended to the hilt someone's right to slag the place off if they wish. But I think its fantastic. I love it. I'd much rather spend a tenner (and there's plenty well below that) on something lovely and not do it so often than buy a couple of something a bit strip-garglish. I was in there much earlier tonight and there was something amiss with the card machine - there were queues of be-suiteds and it was a little ramshackle but beautifully and charmingly handled.

I love the Goodrich walking bus! My two smalls watch out for it as we go (walking, of course with 2 year old sturdy legs) to nursery. They think its great and thinks its absolutely part of what you do when you goto school

of course, annt - taken in the spirit it was intended:))

I thought you could only renew travelcards at a tube station... maybe thats changed. The really rubbish thing is that the rail system in south east London is an integral part of the transport system and yet is excluded from the charging system. If you travel by bus you'll eventually clock up the price of a bus pass and then not be charged any more. If you include a tube journey you stop paying once you reach the price of a travelcard. But if you live in southeast London you nearly always get charged more because you're likely to include a train journey which can't be included in the tallying up of fares. Boo hiss. I'd heard that the train companies were considering coming on board but seem to be dragging their heels.

And aside from sounding like an effective acne treatment the Niobe of Greek Myth has a truly terrible story. She boasts of her fertility only to see all her 14 offspring murdered by Apollo and Artemis. Distraught, Niobe's husband kills himself and a grief-stricken Niobe either turns to stone or kills herself. She's used as a trope for grief. Not an auspicious start for a nipper, I reckon...

I think that you can also grow something that attracts them more. You're advised to grow nasturtiums close to tomato plants to tempt the blighters away (works with marigolds too, I think). BUT, I've always wondered why having blackfly on your other plants is such a good thing and if they like these plants so much why having them in your garden doesn't just attract them. But then , my garden, despite my best efforts, is a bit rubbish so what do I know.

Of course Ko :)) Though I do wonder whether there just might be some mileage in cake-stalling as a new extreme sport? Like paint-balling but messier? Maybe it could be part of big ED alternative sports day. Sack races, cake-stalling, buggy slalem, arm-wrestling for the honour of local business etc Sounds like it could be fun. It would be lovely to have a big ED fete or something, with stalls and games (like the fantastic arts fete that's held at the V&A)

Or they could hold chess sets at the cafe that could be borrowed for a deposit

A lovely big Antony Gormley sculpture on the roundabout. A giant goose to rival the Angel of the North perhaps? The wildfow l of the SE22

Not sure - there's some kind of maze - though was a bit scrawny when I went last

I met a very strange man once who was a fruititarian - which meant he only ate things that meant nothing was killed. So he would eat raisins, berries and nuts but not whole plants. Cut and come again lettuce ok but not sure about potatoes - clearly not a whole plant but I do't expect it would be happy being dug up for a tuber. He was very very thin.