SeanMacGabhann

exactly right KK (unless of course he has supported any ant-gay legisltion in the past? In which case?)

This suggests where the actuality is then ITATM - between your mother being largely unaware of the letter and Dulwichmum's fictional Greek woman (who if she is real would have seen much much worse in her life) it seems this is all rather small beer for people to be getting upset about (eg talking about provacy of homes being invaded)

It's almost as if no such thing had ever happened before

This is getting a bit scary now Actually it has been for a while

the key question, as others have raised is WHY? Why would you want to challenge this? As I've said even if you had the time and inclination and won, (which you wouldn't), yuo would have achieved precisely nothing. Worse than nothing

Well, since you ask, many societies are able to live with more flexible interpretations of the law than you - I would hate to be in a pub and offered a lock in with you. Next you?ll be saying home-taping is killing music You are also definitely accusing them of breaking the data-protection law which I haven?t seen at all ? best you have found was a document headed ?guidance?. So I don?t see anyone condoning the breaking of any laws as yet ?It's the principle that matters here? And just as soon as we establish what that principle REALLY is we might be able to agree. At the moment it?s stuck very much in underwear-slightly-creased stage

damned if they do and damned if they don't "what do we want?" - "more joined up thinking and a reduction in beaurocracy!!" "when do we want it?" - "errr.. does it affect me ?" There is room for interpretation there DJKQ - and I@m still struggling why one would want to find the EXACT phrase that prevents what is essentially a boss saying to an underling "tell everyone we know we could use some cash if they have any spare" In other words, it's all a bit of a hullabaloo Let's say you had the time an inclination to follow this to the courts AND they found in your favour AND Kings could no longer repeat this excercise How would this affect anyone in the slightest, other than Kings having less money to do some of the things we supposedly want them to do? This is posturing on a high-horse for no benefit.

As well as anyone else (ahem)

I'm failing to see the "passing on" bit

It wasn?[t one for food at all - I think it was KP crisps or nothing!

Nope ? the way you descibed the letter it sounded unusual.. unusual enough to solicit further opinion anyway

James Tough break and I have been there myself - sounds like a basement flat which is often a target. If you are insured and make a claim keep in mind it?s possible for the burglars to be aware that round #2 is a comin so try and beef up security too (That?s not meant to alarm you btw ? looks like they check to see noone was in) If it?s any consolation, how you feel now is the worst of it and you will feel better Best of luck

Back at the start of the thread it did seem unusual enough for people to want to know more ? absolutely fair enough. And being unsure of one?s own reaction is pretty healthy It?s when it became more apparent what it actually was that some people seemed to lose perspective

Interesting point about your neighbours LM ? I don?t doubt there is mutterings but sometimes, amidst a consensus of mutterings and negativity, people would do well to step back and ask what exactly is it they are unhappy about. It?s really easy to find yourself getting drawn into and agreeing with a bunch of people giving out about something/anything

And I may have been using language at 7am that was more direct than I meant to ? sorry Katie My take on the decline in clientele is to do with the social habits of said clientele. Going to the pub was a much easier option even 20 years ago when you had 4 TV channels on a small screen and take out booze cost just as much then as it did now (I remember Red Stripe being about a pound a can 20 years ago ? about the same now) Whereas the same people these days often have a huge home cinema setup, the internet in another corner and cheaper booze at home ? the pub, even if it was the same place as 20 years ago, isn?t the same draw I would also saying that pubs have character (versus the ubiquitous wallpaper modern ones) is part of the crossover. Back then no-one said their pub had character ? it was just an equally homogenised ?pub?. (There are exceptions of course ? I knew that the Beehive in Swindon was a good ?un back then and it still is now)

if not a hullabaloo then enough "went down" for you to want to disassociate yourself from it Mick As for the Govt being best placed - I'm not in anyway criticising this government's commitment to cutting the deficit to suggest that it is ideologically against the idea of the NHS and will be doing much to dismantle it in the coming years

I did wonder....

Didn?t Admin approach everyone on here a while back when the server needed upgrading or something and suggest that, should anyone care to, use the Donate link on the site I don?t recall any hullabaloo. I don?t recall anyone saying the privacy of their inbox was invaded! I don?t recall anyone accusing admin of treating us like ?customers?. I don?t recall anyone saying ?what??? I pay my broadband, my phone line and my PC and now you want me to pay for the forum as well!!!!? I don?t recall stories of vulnerable old people such as [snip!] who, stuck in their homes with only the forum as a lifeline to the local community being guilt-tripped into handing over money they don?t have It?s not an ideal situation that a hospital has to hold out a bowl for extra cash, but I fail to see how it could be innapropriate

Diary cleared - check! Word up, keef

I willing to bet that it?s nothing to do with H&S I?m willing to bet it?s a) Money related. If you don?t have to bother with carrying stuff inside you can save time and cut back on staff numbers b) Insurance related. Some customer claimed they broke their precious blah and sued the company once too often But an external ?elf and safety? directive? I?m not sure why people are so keen to go for this as the catch-all explanation for things

It just never occurs to me to think that my address is the same as my ?medical records? I pretty much figure that any time I give my address to anyone, it?s going to get used. I?d be annoyed if I was getting letters from l?Oreal saying ?following your recent attendance at Kings?. It has come to our attention that your hair is in need of?? But for a Kings representative to send a letter to me? I just don?t see that as my ?medical? records being used yes to the first point, not so sure about the second. Surely if we were having that other debate we would be talking about many of the same points we are here?

hmmmm they have beds down there you say? My understaing is only very miniscule objects have been passed down Butif you want some mining info rescue plan

Controversial? How? It's a pretty common view. It's also wrong IMO. It sure didn't help but the trend towards these pubs closing had been going on for years and ever faster. Smoking ban might have been a nail in the coffin but it wasn't a root cause. Plus, members of my "traditional" family gave up smoking on the back of it - so they are financially better off and will live longer. Bonus I would say The Castle and the CPT, both on Crystal Palace Rd. Ok the CPT did out the front a few years back but the back bar is as close to an old-school pub as I have found anywhere. Not sure what your last parapgraph's point is tho. old school pubs are different from newer pubs but are also beyond recognition? i suspect the pubs of your youth were quite different from the pubs of 50 years previous as well (not that I'm saying you are that old - just that things change) . So will drinking dens be in 50 years time. If you harbour any resentment at the new styple pubs and their clientele, take solace that in 50 years time they will be complaining about how they have lost their heritage as well!

DM, this is arrant nonsense - you know full well that ANY institution you have interacted with has access to your name and address. Why is this even remotely controversial? Do you view any letter from companies as invading your privacy "in your own home"? You have a real bee in your bonnet about the fact that this is undertaken by and as someone who understands how to raise money - why does the fact that they could be selling butter or the fact that people don't choose to be ill relevant? I know the answer will be something to do with understanding patient's etc but there is a bigger picture Why would anyone receiving a letter from Kings asking for money reveal anything about an appointment? It's a letter from an institution in need of money, asking for money. Not remotely suspicious There are many many people who aren't outpatients who could be considered vulnerable as well What do we do about appeals for the Pakistan floods? Stop them going out on TV in case vulnerable people are watching and feel compelled to give money? So, ok, some people object to this method of raising money. I'm guessing you aren't arguing with the need for that money? In which case how would YOU choose to raise the money, if you were in charge at Kings?

This is a bit interesting - if you like the group and the concept around the album so much the better, but even so Launching the website below asks for an address and then builds the music video around it Chrome users only (no Internet Explorer, Firefox, or anything else) Arcade Fire evolve music video It';s not life-changing but it's an interesting mesh of technology nevertheless