Michael Palaeologus

I would miss the political insights of Nadia (22) from Bromley

Jolly good fun and thanks to all who came along, especially SJ and the clan. Barriet is happily standing on my sideboard until next year.

Mick Mac Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > It seems there has been a lot of shagging going on > since I was born. And a lot less before I was > born. After your birth mankind decided that there was little that they could do to improve on you. Since then, we have all been accidents.

When you were born, you were the: 3,241,687,507th person alive on Earth 77,074,159,240th person to have lived since history began

Firstly, It might be worth clarifying what the child saw first of all, what they perceived they saw may be different from the reality. Secondly, report it. To Southwark Council, to the RSPCA, the Police, whoever. Thirdly, why was the child "in a garden behind the old school house"?

My Godfather, Norman "Nic" Nichols, served in Korea. He saw combat and never spoke about those experiences. He did however talk of the absurdities of army life. He was mentioned in despatches for capturing a North Korean soldier. My Godfather was sat on a trench privy enjoying a quiet dump. Suddenly a head popped up over the trench and looked around, the North Korean was somewhat startled to see a British soldier about his business. This gave Nic time to stand up, grab his .303 and point it at the hapless Korean. The enemy soldier looked shocked and surrendered straight away. Whether it was simply as a result of having a gun pointed at him or whether it was having a gun pointed at him by a squaddie with his trousers and pants round his ankles, Nic often pondered upon after a Lemon Hart rum or two.

I do wonder about giving an addict coke though.

My blessed Mothers friend Mrs Beattie has a touch of cancer last year, not too bad. Killed her though.

I didn't know helicopters had religious affiliations. Are there also Protestant and Methodist helicopters? I wouldn't want to fly in a Muslim helicopter later on a Ramadan afternoon, their concentration levels may have dipped.

Splendid turn out at the Mirash, 9 of scoffed a good meal at 17 pounds per head, including a tip. No offer of a free drink, which seems to have become standard practice elsewhere, still at ?17, we shouldnt complain. 1 August for the next cc meet, back to the 1st Thursday of the month. Tandoori Nights.

We will miss you Sheila. Looking forward to seeing folk in the EDT and/or Mirash tonight.

They are Berlin Bears and I have contacts in Berlin. So, if we ever need replacements ....

Area 52. But I didn't suggest it.

Taking your staff member down the performance management/ disciplinary route could leave your employer in an IT before you blink, if she has dyslexia and if she mentioned it to somebody in the past. She may not have dyslexia, she may not know she has dyslexia. Still, if her under-performance in this areas has not been mentioned to her, why wait until a formal appraisal to raise the issue? It instantly escalates a difficult situation. Well before the appraisal meeting, take her to one side and address the issue of poor written work directly. Show her examples, discuss the impact on you and her colleagues. Then ask, Why? Make sure she understands that she has a problem that needs to be addressed. Agree an action plan (the diagnostic and therapeutic approaches noted above sound good) with impact measures and timescales. The action plan can then be used to monitor her performance. If the under-performance continues then you have grounds for entering formal performance management/disciplinary processes. However, the appraisal is not a disciplinary mechanism. Your HR people should be giving you this advice by the way. That they are not is worrying and leaves your employer vulnerable.

The return of the Mac. Excellent.

I would not bring it up in the appraisal meeting. The appraisal is supposed to be a summation of the manager/staff discussions throughout the year and looking forward to the coming year. Reflecting back on past performance and forward to future performance, i.e. objective setting and agreement of personal development actions. Nothing in any appraisal discussions should be a surprise. To mention the dyslexia in the appraisal meeting would mean that effectively the appraisal meeting would become all about the dyslexia, all else would be forgotten. Next time you have to correct some of her work, take her to one side and mention it, and that you have had to correct previous work. Ask her why? Give her an opportunity to explain, then you can discuss and agree remedial action and so move forward.

Yay! Sob! Yay! Its an emotional roller coaster ...

We are still on for Wednesday! Drinks at the EDT at 7.15 and the Mirash at 8ish. Who is in? I will book a table tomorrow evening.

Will Barry and Barriet be making a special appearance?

Why don't you sell it at cost price? That would be a neighbourly thing to do.

A Canterbury Tale Passport to Pimlico

Bury it!!

I believe that platform 16 will never re-open, it is being sacrificed to make room for the new entrance and concourse. The long disused Platform 7 may being brought back into use as a new through platform, joining up the new lines coming in via new bridge over Borough Market.

Might be useful to describe what you want to do. Some of these famous people or people that they know may well read the Forum. They aren't going to come forward when they don't know what you are suggesting.

It was Charliebubs, but we went there a few months ago and it seems a while since Mirash had a visit. Tandoori Nights and Curry Cabin deserve a return too. We will get back to Dulwich Tandoori, worry not. Wondering whether we can get ourselves to the much lauded Babur of Forest Hill? http://www.babur.info/