SeanMacGabhann

But not being religious is like not believeing in Santa isn?t it? I don?t need to belong or support Santadoesn?texist society ? or to be preached at to do so I can just counter any pro-santa arguments as they arise Creating a society around not believing in God just gives ammunition to those who say not-believeing in God is just another form of religion

All of the main contenders have their advocates on any forum/magazine you care to read, apart from Nokia who appear to be losing their way Until I upgraded a year or so back I was a lifelong nokia man ? that menu system and sound quality being the main pluses. But my the N95 the menu system was struggling with the feature set and the newest smartphone due out is getting a real kicking from a software/usability perspective. Great hardware but.. As for call quality, as anyone who has ever rung me knows, depending on your phone you can either hear me being grumpy in crystal-clear quality or compressed and tinny quality. The choice is yours (hint: text me don?t phone me)

Just when I had excised the last memories of Razorlight from my conciousness?.. someone goes and mentions them and it all comes flooding back and I?m left sobbing at my desk

I'm not really proposing we ban them Mick - my tongue was in cheek. But there has been a lot of "in the current climate, firefighters need to realise" posturing from various parties and I just wondered where spending money not just on fireworks but on the amount of emergency services needed to suppor that night fitted in with that But I'm only wondering. I'm not serious like.... ;-)

PS - MM doesn't need me to stand up for him either - I just wanted to voice my distaste of iain's comment

Marmora Man is many things Iain, but clueless isn't one of them. I might disagree with him but you only have to read his post to see he puts thought and effort into them. Name calling someone like that isn't going to garner any support

I've not heard from anyone in the country who has been burgled (including me) who hasn't been told by the local police that there has been a "spate" of burglaries lately and teh area is being targetted Like you I was burgled not long after moving to this country (albeit 20+ years ago) and figured I'd walked into some crime-ridden nightmare. Before the burglary I was not aware of any crime. Afterwards I saw it everywhere - it was ME that had changed not the area Given how many people on here have been affected depsite having good security-measures I;m not sure what good the thread does. I know it has made me more paranoid - but how is that useful? I can't keep putting bigger and bigger locks on the door or never go to sleep All that said, we could well be at the beginning of an upsurge in burglary numbers - it does tend to correlate to recessionary times. Or it may be that there is a particular crew in operation at the moment. I?m not saying it definitely isn?t true. I?m just saying people who have recently been affected by crime tend to see the world differently. It?s horrible to go through But even if it is on the rise, I?m not sure anything mentioned will prove of any practical benefit. I?m not saying don?t talk about it if you must ? but there is another side to the story and it can distort reality. It?s like reading ONLY the South London press ? it?s not that it?s not real, it just lacks any perspective and makes the reader a more paranoid, fearful person. Some caution and awareness is a good thing ? but it can gather it?s own momentum

If this particular night is so dangerous that the FFs absence is putting lives at risk, I'd look at the root cause and ban fireworks like other countries have. No? ok then.... I would say to the FFs that ignoring the public view of the dates is self-defeating and clearly the message they are trying to get across just isn't. I don't know why so many people are instinctively adopting managements role in this one - they seemed happy enough with the service they were getting up until all of this this came to light. And whilst some workforces (both unionised and non, in private and public) can be intransigent to the point of exasperation, management track-record across a number of services doesn't make this anywhere near clear-cut to me. If management didn't push through these proposals would any of us REALLY care? I suspect not Huguenot's response to my previous questioning was "In answer to SMG, the management seems clear - the new shift patterns are more healthy, create better firefighters, more streamlined, more cost efficient, and allow more flexible fire cover to meet the changed world we live in: " which seems reasonable but also seems an answer to a problem that doesn't convince. We need better firefighters do we? Why, what's wrong with the ones we have? Are they unhealthy? More flexible cover for the changed world we live in? The world has changed but what is it the FFs haven't adapted to? Are they NOT putting out fires the way they were before? That leaves costs - and when that is the only genuine consideration, a top-down edict usually results in depreciation of service. Again, I've seen this in public and private sectors I think the FFs on this thread have done a better job than many other strkers in outlining their position - they strike me as the opposite of unreasonable. I understand why they think strike is the only option. I would still advise them against it tho - a strike is only effective if it generates enough public support- and this one will not only fail to do that, it will make things worse If I was a FF in their position, I would reluctantly swallow these changes. By all means outline your fears and if they transpire use them as a bargaining chip, both with management and public, when the next difference of opinion comes up ? but I can?t see striking doing anything other than weakening whatever strength you have

Is this not the series with AcedOut in it - tall banker, lives in ED. He mentioned on a thread about his slot being filmed around The Gardens I think

I would have thought the opportunity that exists between gumtree and the local classifieds section on a forum like this is negligible? Are you interested from a convenience aspect or a desire to make money?

Concita. Apart from your experience and that of others posting on here why do you feel that these ares in particular are hotspots?

You can?t blame it solely on that, but I?m willing to wager a fair amount that it plays more of a role than you care to admit

David_Carnell surely?

Manions in Gypsy Hill, brockwell Park, Florence or Prince Albert, Dulwich Village, dog again

Irony

Weird thread

It?s not the Lounge Mockney Piers ? stay on topic Ahem

Just over 3500 for H

That is the most half-baked allegory ever

I'm looking forward to the realisation at the Man Utd board and shareholders how much money they have spent on someone whose best is behind him And regardless of him staying - that relationship with fergie is beyond repair. This isn't over yet

@ Loz Amen

People have suggested to eater81 that he move away for about 2 years now - he's still here tho Anytime I think of moving away I ask myself ?will it have many eater81s?? Invariably the answer is yes, many more , so I stay

Louisiana ? I?m not saying all the indicators aren?t there if you look for them. Or that many of those things aren?t happening. I?m just saying historically we have been in holes before. It may well get a lot worse before it gets better. But if I?m stuck in a shelter for a couple of years until then I?m going to want to do it with people of a sligtly sunnier disposition ?you know, if we ever get out of here, we?ll be eaten by rats? Yes, I know?. Now pass me another marrowfat pea

Was it Ratty's 35th at the Plough all those years ago? Tcha

DaveR ? good points all but rather than get all of the blame, I think banks are actually getting away with none of the blame in practice. I think this thread is a cheap shot at banks, but when people rush to defend them I think they in turn go a bit OTT Louisiana ? all of that MIGHT happen, but when push comes to shove, this species is as capable of getting itself out of a hole as it is messing up. Let?s wait and see. I doubt living in the shadow of the cold war in the 60s was any better but things have a way of working out