Jeremy

Kiwi - that is a fair point, if you have researched the options then I retract my snide remark! Alan - I know that you think Foxtons is great for the area, others of us disagree. Especially those of us who appreciate the individual character of the area. peckhamasbestos - this has already been done to death, I can assure you that I am not "envious" of any Foxtons client or employee! I personally disapprove of their brash image, sales techniques, treatment of tenants - amongst other things.

EDKiwi... I am surprised that somebody who claims to care about the area would even be entertaining the idea of doing business with Foxtons!

He's black and white, and rather fat!

I nearly bought a flat in that area a couple of months ago. I asked a similar question, you can see the responses here: http://www.eastdulwichforum.co.uk/forum/read.php?5,24937,25777#msg-25777 Everyone seems to think it's OK round there, but in the end I decided against snapping up what looked like a bargain - the proximity to the estate would have made it very hard to sell on again.

Wasn't the William Rose store also breifly a ladies underwear boutique recently? It lasted about 4 months.

Alan - yeah you're right, the City is not entirely a meritocracy. I was trying to point out that some people from modest backgrounds manage to land very, very well paid jobs. And as I've said before, times are changing... I guess you know that the banks are shifting more and more to conventional recruitment paths. Maybe because of the changing skills needed to be a succesful trader. James - didn't mean to imply that they're worth more as individuals than the rest of us. That's obviously not true. I am purely talking in financial terms - percentages of how much money they bring in. In fact I'm pretty sure you know what I mean, but are just picking an argument. The stereotypical description of a trader is slightly outdated, and not really relevant to the points I'm trying to get across. Sean - I think I'm talking about another post. However, I have read the post you mention, and it sounds incredibly unlikely that they would have made the same amount by investing in a high street savings account (and anyway, how do you think high street banks make their money?) The argument doesn't really hold any water. Investing and trading is central to the economy. Even in Scandanavia.

SeanMacGabhann Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Limited amount of top > jobs so if we over-compensate those people ther is > less for the majority. But City traders aren't over compensated. As someone else pointed out (was it Mockney?), they are paid according to how much money they earn for the company. They're paid what they're worth... no more, no less. "Fat-cat" CEOs are a different matter, that's not what I'm discussing here. > Plus there was a genreal > feeling amongst the Slytherins (oh come on I mean > it well ;-) ) that if only people pulled up their > socks they too could be in the money, when > mathematically they just can't I never said that people were guaranteed a top job if they pulled their socks up. You have to be smarter and harder working than the competition - and it's not for everyone. But I don't have a problem with the top n% earning a lot of money.

Alan may have a point... you show me a soc-ia-list/communist country where the average person has a comfortable standard of living. We all reap the benefits of a succesful capitalist economy on a daily basis.

Sean - yes, not everybody can be super wealthy, there are a limited amount of "top" jobs. But people are usually selected for these jobs on merit... a lot of people are simply just not cut out for these jobs, it's a fact of life. I don't really understand your point, I'm afraid!

Yeah, the "new" side was nicer when I first went there, 5 or so years ago. It's looking a bit tatty now. Still like it though.

I'm sure macroban could tell us what it used to be...

My brother DJ'd there a couple of times a while ago (he quit when he realised what an awful place it is). The manager asked him not to play and hip hop or R&B, because he didn't want the "wrong type" of people coming in... I'm sure we all know what he meant...

nigiri : sweet shrimp, scallop sashimi : fatty tuna soft shell crab rolls katsu-don

Or the new place, with food from Tangier? (sorry, there is no Moroccon restaurant locally, I couldn't think of anything else which rhymed)

Bob and spadetown make good points, they've chosen lifestlyes that work for them. Whether your aim is to have as much spare time as possible, or to do a job you enjoy, or to make as much money as possible... it's your choice. I don't understand the point of criticising people's chosen lines of work or the amount of money they've earned.

spadetownboy Wrote: > i suppose some has to do the cleaning.;-) Haha, no... that's the next step up the career ladder!

Go on, tell us what you've written... How would one get into the jingle writing business anyway?

I envy you Bob... I'd love to do your job. But I'm probably not talented enough!

Steady on, Bob!

James, it's not about getting one up on each other. Sorry if I started to get too personal, btw. I'm just going from my own observations, that's all... and I know from experience that people from modest, even underpriveledged backgrounds can be very succesful in their chosen fields. You mention politics: I believe the same is true here to a certain extent, John Major being a famous example. And yes, there are lots of women where I work... some in pretty senior positions, probably earning 7 figure salaries. It would be naive of me to suggest that it is just as easy for women to succeed as it is for men, but the situation is rapidly improving.

Bob - yes, I accept that this is historically true. But where I work (one of the big banks), new traders are recruited into the industry through graduate programs. There are oxbridge graduates amongst them, but also plenty of other universities. I hasten to add that I have a very lowly job within this company. But I can accept that there are others who are more talented than me, or who are very driven to succeed.

James - I disagree, one of my best friends at University lived on a council estate in Liverpool. He was from a single parent family, they had absoutely nothing... but still managed to get a universtity education. We all make choices, if you don't want to work in that sort of environment then fair enough. I can understand the appeal of working in creative/media industries. Similarly for nursing, teaching etc. But that's your choice, to complain that your don't get paid as much as those in other industries is absurd. You are the one in cloud-cuckoo land.

Jah - a lot of city traders actually get paid a fairly modest basic wage, almost all of their salary is in the form of a bonus. Personally I don't have a problem with people earning commission on money directly brought in for the company. As for the wealth gap... times are changing, these banking jobs are now within the reach of most graduates if they have the inclination, intelligence and willpower. The opportunities are out there for almost anyone.

Brendan Wrote: > ED is by no means affluent if you > compare it to a lot of London. Agreed. It's not even as affluent/expensive as Balham, and that's a total cr@p-hole.

Sorry Alan, you are just downright incorrect! The kind of people we're talking about... very succesful traders, company directors, etc... these are the sort of people who have a central london townhouse during the week, and a county house for the weekends. They're not going to live in a 3 bed terrace in an averagely priced area of London.