SeanMacGabhann

ah aye?? Dragon ft Iveta - Cook it Up posted before but hey it's Friday

aspiring to have a MOR venue? self-editing not once but twice? Asking people to be more positive? Me agreeing with much he says? I'm convinced Alan's account has been hijacked

careful Ally - by NYers definition we zone2/3 ers ARE the bridge'n'tunnel crowd agree with you totally on Fri/Sat nights btw - but that's true of most pubs everywhere these days.

A shadow of their former live selves from what I've read, unfortunately hmmm - but I haven't totally ruled it out

I'm not listening to it yet but Bonnie Prince Billie has a new album out next week I think which has me quite excited Thanks to a recent haul by Lady MacGabhann I'm listening to Girls Aloud on my shuffle more than I'm keen on (just how compressed are some CD's btw?? I can hear LOUD before the first note is played... normal hiss, normal hiss.. ooh this next track has very loud hiss!! Then my ears bleed)

Good to see you carve out some time at last ???? This is all an interesting debate but before it goes on you can't seriously take me to be genuinely anti-business/economics/etc? The global economy? Even better But it's not some neutral, benign energy. It needs controlling. Left to itself it would still argue for slavery. Left to itself it said introducing a (paltry) minimum wage would devestate the economy and British jobs. That didn't happen did it? And while it is the engine for growth in many emerging countries it shouldn't be forgotten that it is also responsible for the shocking conditions many people have to work in to produce... oooh whatever - a plastic football, cheap jeans whatever. In effect, slavery. Youcan argue about the relative merits of local wages but it is pressure from outside companies which is the cause of conditions improving in many sweatshops - the companies themselves, having washed their hands by outsourcing contracts have long been aware but have had little to no interest in improving conditions. This is no small esoteric point... it's pretty fundamental to how we as human beings define how we treat others Just as union power is (was?) an effective tool against the exploitation of labour post industrial revolution, but needed it's power checked when it forgot what it was for, companies whose wealth and power eclipse many many countries need to be controlled - or it'll be Mega-City One for all of us ;-)

Another take on it is that if the livelihoods of people are in good hands, then negative feedback can be used to turn things around and avert problems in the future Green & Blue and the SeaCow are two business that responded maturely to criticism (some of it of the overly-negative type highlighted by Alan) and appear to be doing well on the back of it. Nothing but positive reviews lose their meaning - does anybody take the reviews in Living South seriously for example? But broadly speaking I think I'm with Alan - don't be a guerilla critic, doing an ananymous hit and run. Make it part of a constructive dialogue. Which I think many people on here do

does this make me look "vile" as I walk down the Lane these days? I really should take more care about how and who I offend....

Sandperson - I would have though you would be way too elated to be blowing raspberries at anyone today! Personally I love a good negative review - Mathew Norman does some corkers, but yes I do prefer when it brings wit to the, erm, table rather than just "ick - me no likee" style prose

I'm guessing you had no joy with this toots? Sorry to hear

When I pick up bones from the butchers for stock, unless specified it's usually whatever random bones they have in the box. I have since learned to avoid the lamb bones as it just doesn't taste "right" to me. In order of preference for stock-making it's Veal Beef Chicken Lamb for me anyway

As for the location of the final, this amused me yesterday: THE RISE AND FALL OF A UEFA OFFICIAL: A TRAGEDY IN TWO PARTS October 4, 2006 1.30pm: Time to pick host city for next season's Big Cup final! Notice that Uefa canteen is putting on extra large buffet for lunch, featuring fondue with 93 different types of cheese, blue whale steaks and side of elephant. 1.32pm: Realise you don't have time to attend buffet and find host city that will combine good transport links, cheap hotel rooms and stadium with immaculate playing pitch. 1.33pm: Stick pin into map of Europe and rush off to buffet, briefly noting that pin has stuck on Moscow, world's most expensive city. 1.34pm: Stifle doubts over staging final in world's most expensive city by tucking into buffet. May 21 2008 9am: Arrive in Moscow for Big Cup final. Notice that Moscow's streets are doing an uncanny impression of Siberian wastes. Wonder whether hosting final in world's most expensive city was such a good idea after all. 9.15am: Yelp in fear as you open the Kommersant newspaper - which you can read because, for narrative purposes, you're fluent in Russian - and read this zinger from the head of the national tourist office. "The invasion didn't happen. Many people were put off by high prices for flights, hotels and services. Additionally the tickets for the match are expensive. The companies organising flights for fans are in panic." 9.22am: Calm self down with extra helpings of shashlyk, washed down with 19 bowls of borscht and knowledge that Man United and Chelsea's famously global fan base will fill stadium. After all, both clubs are always boasting about how well supported they are. 9.25am: Yelp in fear as rumours circulate that there will be empty seats for tonight's game. Remember that Man United and Chelsea's global fan base only extends as far as the home counties. 11am: Brief high as news comes in that celebrity fan Mick Hucknall will not be attending final, even if - judging by his appearance on Later with Jools Holland last week - it means another three empty seats. 11.15am: Panic sets in again as realisation hits that only celebrity fan present for final is Andrei Lugovoi, man accused by British government of murdering Alexander Litvinenko. 11.20am: Desperately attempt to save job by booking TV's James Richardson to do half-time show and Rebranded Website celebrity Barry Glendenning to write minute-by-minute report. 11.20am (and two seconds): Receive P45.

mixed emotions sums the thing up. The whole room cheered the roof off when Ronaldo missed his penalty, yet when Terry stepped up to take the penalty, more than one person said it was doomed. I had a sliiiiight preference for Man U to win but I would agree that Chelsea probably deserved to win and I thought Terry was man of the match - until that penalty. Still don't like him tho'

Whilst I agree on the general point, and also PeckhamPam's point re: tripadvisor et al, does anybody realistically expect well-written, articulate, more-than-amateurish reviews on a local message board? To stay with the Locale thread, one or two very negative posts are balanced with a fair amount of, if not high praise, then at least moderate praise and a lot of goodwill. Which makes the original post ironic in that it overlooks anything positive to make a negative point But then again.....

and to think it was me who was called a prophet of doom on another thread!! mind you - teh administrator should scold Mark for going off topic ;-)

Economy and people - thought this was interesting earlier this week http://www.guardian.co.uk/money/2008/may/20/consumeraffairs.economics That doesn't answer my question of HOW business would deal with those volumes - there just isn't a way to turn a profit from 60 million people's ailments - not without taking a good hard look at those pesky unprofitable patients I don't instinctively dismiss businesses - I merely point out that a) their goal is necessarily different to that of human beings and what makes us genuinely happy and b) business SAYS it doesn't want regulation but as you know all too well, it knows where to run to if it really messes up. And it's not other businesses. How anyone post ENron, Northern Rock et al says there is no need for regulation I have no idea. "Legitimate Taxes" I would define as if I'm paying my full share, other companies are paying their full share, then no company should get away with, however legally, avoiding theirs. I don't think a lack of clear legislation is hindering them in this activity. Countries with no involvement or interest from it's citizens in turmoil and civil war you say? Who would have thunk it? Ok that's a facile conclusion to draw but nor would I dismiss it completely. The fact is with all of the various countries, systems and peoples in the world you can't actually pinpoint one which is both stable and with the minimal government you seek - or am I wrong? You would think that if it was such a good idea more countries would have adopted it, no?

ah, a belated entry to the fray ???? To be fair to most of the contributions so far, I don't see much dogma - good, hard examples yes... dogma, not so much

But the truth is, despite what economic thinking would have us believe, is that people do not do a cost/benefit analysis on everything they do. You might, others might, but the majority of people just don't (at least not for everything) Should they? Says who? In the words of Marmora Man that sounds like "it implies "they" know better then "them". " The kind of bespoke private solutions favoured by MM and DaveR work, not because of any superior methodology within business, but precisely because they don't have to look after 50-60 million people. If a problem with the NHS is nurses on a minimum wage then let's pay them more - be it from the defence budget or higher taxes. Private companies NEED big government. They are the biggest welfare mothers in the country. If they paid the legitimate taxes they owe and didn't set up off-shore tax havens, then we might see a lower base rate of income tax for the individual. But let's imagine utopia - let's imagine not 10% tax, but 0% tax - now if only there were places where that was true so we could see what marvellous societies exist there - oh look Heaven?

Perhaps surprisingly I agree broadly with LibraCarr's post also. I mean, CitizenEd is absolutely correct in what he says and there are plenty of dodgy drivers around but I see plenty of reckless pedestrian activity as well. I'm not against jaywalking per se but at least do it with a degree of awareness and acknowledge the cars in your immediate area and dont assume they will stop just because you have appeared in front of them

The tyre place will be a permanent home for the bakers who currently sell outside Moxon's Glad to see the old Access sign is still up above the shop mind you!

agreed candj (although all but the Emeralds can also be bought at Val's Groceries up near the Plough - also sticking Kimberly Chocolate ELites which are just... gorgeous) So Tivoli amusements - anybody want to stick up for this one?

82 - used to be the Picture place opposite the Palmerston, just before Iceland

I very nearly made it in there (Wahaca) a few weeks back - but went to La Perla a few doors down instead. Didn't know it was Tommi behind it - will check it out soon

Ach I missed this - presumably Dustin will turn up on youtube Shame he was rubbish - I love his "work" but I couldn't imagine it translates to a Eurovision effort. Although the whole things sounds too outlandish even for an episode of Fr Ted

Indeed dc, indeed MM - I don't think I did misunderstand your post. It's all very chucklesome (to some) to pick on potato boards and whatnot, but the general thrust of the argument is much wider, and for me, quite scary Indeed you even undermine your whole point by saying how important defence is to you - yet for many people we could save near trillions by scaling the whole operation back. I don't want (and that's too weak a phrase to fully express how I feel) a much tinier government, with a low tax rate and all of the "services" "managed" by private companies. Private companies with shareholders. And a captive market. Where those companies merge and become a monopoly. With shareholders to feed. Running a country IS a big operation - why shy away from that? And a country this big can certainly afford it (even if the burden is too much on the less well off at the moment) Let's just say you achieve your libertarian aims - and you have a 10p tax rate with a smaller government. How exactly will your life be better?