LondonMix

I agree with that. The thing is, I speak a couple of languages (Spanish and French) and without having lived in those countries for at least a short while I could never have become fluent. I studied Spanish for 5 years before living in Spain and learned more Spanish in the first 3 months there than I did in the 5 years before that combined. Before I moved there I couldn't have been called fluent at all. Once I was there though, I was and was very quickly. Making fluency in English a pre-requisite is just too high a bar I think. I remember one other person I know who moved to London without know English. An Italian friend back in 2008 who was friends with one of my best friends at the time. He is still in London, fluent in English now and in a serious relationship with an English girl.

That's right Jeremy. Charlie Sheen's real name is Carlos Estevez. He didn't mind capitalising off his dad's fame.

For bad reasons Jeremy. I wasn't in anyway condoning that behaviour. It's at a minimum controlling and potentially worse. I was agreeing with the point being made and saying it could be more than just not wanting them to westernise. Jeremy Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Blah Blah Wrote: > -------------------------------------------------- > ----- > > Tell that to the millions of expats in Spain > who > > don't speak any Spanish. > > Yep I feel exactly the same about English expats. > They should speak the language. In fact English > expats, for instance in Spain, are even worse > because they can't blame poverty or lack of > opportunity. > > LondonMix Wrote: > -------------------------------------------------- > ----- > > I can believe that some husbands from certain > > cultures wouldn't allow or want their wives to > > learn English for a multitude of reasons. > > What are the reasons? Surely we do not encourage > opression of women, regardless of culture. So it's > a moot point.

I agree-- that's why I said whatever counselling they need rather than everyone get counselling.

Its being reported in the news that two 15 year old students at Kingsdale have been stabbed and a 3rd student arrested. One child is in critical condition though the other is stable. If anyone is aware of anything the parents or school may need, please let the forum know. I am sure there are many people, including myself, who would welcome the opportunity to offer any support we can in what must be an incredibly difficult time for those affected. I just hope that the child in critical condition makes a full recovery...

I can believe that some husbands from certain cultures wouldn't allow or want their wives to learn English for a multitude of reasons. Loz, what do you think the issue was with deportation? I don't doubt this might be true but am curious.

The poor children and parents... I hope the child in critical condition pulls through and the students get whatever counselling they need. I'm not sure what if anything we can do to help but if the school asks for any support for the families or the students, I hope someone posts it on the forum as I'd welcome the opportunity to do what I can.

It is and was. There is an English Language test you have to pass to get indefinite leave to remain (I know as I've been through the process). That's why this newer requirement as a pre-requisite is unfair in my view.

I agree if they've been here for years it bad form. However, I have two friends (both Polish) who moved to London without knowing English and both are totally fluent now and were been within a year. Like I said, I don't know how common not learning the language ever really is. I only know of one person whose mum never really learned though everyone else in the family did including his father. I think its because she was a stay at home mom (and always intended to be). Anyway, I don't think you can morally keep a family apart for a reason like that. Just for a moment imagine it was your family. You'd made your way someplace, gotten a job and filed for them to finally join you and because your wife didn't speak the language yet they were denied entry. That's crazy. The old rule was that they had to learn English within 2 years of moving here which is much more reasonable and should be reinstated.

I agree. Also, how can you keep a married couple apart because one of them can't speak English? How would this impact their children etc. I'd be interested to know how many people immigrate long term to the UK and never learn English? My guess would be very few.

I think we all get that. However, people can and often are given more time off than the statutory minimum. A 6 day work week with contracted hours of more than 40 is not standard. So for non-standard contracts, one would expect the terms to be negotiated and agreed specifically-- that includes all benefits and compensation. Creating guidelines for all contract elements for all non-standard working contracts isn't practical or necessary. Its not like the statutory minimum is currently something that employers strictly adhere to as a max. It is something that employers extend as part of an incentive package for recruitment and therefore can be negotiated privately.

I agree with that. If you have a very strong idea of what you want already, just get someone who can draw up the plans. That's what we did and to be honest, I found our architect quite useless despite lots of recommendations on the forum. They suggested we put showers where there was no headroom etc. In the end, I sketched out most of the design myself for them and they used that as basis for the documents. We paid an hourly rate for bi-weekly site visits to sign off work before making payments to the builder the architect recommended. Beyond that we managed the build ourselves including agreeing design changes that came up due to issues that came up during the build. How much you need an architect depends on how much time you have to spend on the build, if you have a good sense of space and design and if you have strong project management skills.

I go to Neighborhood Vet. They seem really competent and thorough. We have pet insurance though otherwise it would be totally not affordable. Mind, we've had a cat with stomach issues so have been there a lot over the last few years.

I never liked it but we took out the inlaws there once and they loved it and it was very busy. My Father in Law wanted to try it as he saw it on the way to our house. I don't know if it was always that busy (and this was probably almost 10 years ago) but it seemed popular enough that night.

Agree with everyone else. Fill in all 6 options and list in genuine preference order. Unless things have changed dramatically, you should be able to get into your first choice (Bessemer Grange) given your proximity. Its a 3 form primary and has a fairly large catchment as a result of that and it being somewhat hard for some parents to get to. I agree its appears to be a terrific school. Good luck!

No detective work on my part. Someone else looked up their accounts, I just know what debtors are in accounting terms and can't think of any reason a small retail business would have such a significant amount. It could be something to do with their payment system but it is odd.

Why do you think this would involve gerrymandering? The passage to the Bussey Building (Bussey Alley) is a covered arcade. What exactly would you expect to see on the red outline to indicate its existence within the frontage? Looking at that extract quickly none of the arches or arcades in the area are delineated any differently than solid buildings so why do you think this treatment is unusual as it concerns 133 Rye Lane? The map doesn't immediately indicate anything about the legitimacy of the arcade one way or another. That's why I'm finding this conversation a bit hard to follow. Apologies if I'm being thick! I'm just snatching quick looks at work. ETA: The post I was responding to seems to have disappeared... I should have quoted it :)

Sorry so are you saying you think the current passageway is illegal and will have to be closed off?

I'm not really sure what to make of this. Surely, you are compensated for the extra day / hours through your pay package. I also technically work a 5 day a week job and put in 55+ hours with a fair amount of regularity. Time off for me is 25 days plus bank holidays. I know plenty of people with 20 days in the UK. My colleagues in the US get a max of 20 days with seniority and my colleagues in France get 30. My husband gets 32 plus bank holidays in the UK. Its just all part of the job market and total package you are negotiating. Do you only make proportionally more money than your 5 day a week colleagues? Good luck with your negotiations but I agree with others that the government isn't going to intervene in private sector pay package negotiations like the way you are asking.

I don't understand your calculation. Does everyone get 28 days but you are saying it unfair because it proportionally less time off relative to days worked? Or, are you saying that people on a 5 day week actually get more absolute (total number of) days off?

Debtors are money / funds people owe you--- you typically have them (or accounts receivable as they are more broadly known) when you supply a good or service that isn't immediately settled but rather invoiced. Invoices can normally be settled some defined period after the service has been performed. For a small retail business, its odd.

Oh, that's fine. They aren't planning to change the use to anything other than A1 retail on the ground floor as far as I'm aware. They are just splitting the retail into smaller units.

EDHistory, are you saying you don't think the passage can be widened? The passage itself already exists.

Very sad and of course nobody's business except those he has slept with and is sleeping with. He was fired from 2.5 men in 2011 the same time he was diagnosed because his behavior was so out of control. It would make sense if the diagnosis is what triggered all of that. It must be hard in these circumstances. I'm pretty sure you are meant to notify everyone you've slept with once you are diagnosed that could have been exposed (so lots of old lovers depending on how long they believe you've been ill and unaware). As a celebrity, doing that exposes you to all kinds of privacy / blackmail issues but equally its a serious public health issue not to.

Blah, Blah-- the retail units in the alley are only 10 sqm so they are kiosks (i.e. customers won't be entering the premises just buying things from a counter type set up according the planning application. The larger retail units have their entrances on Rye Lane and the courtyard. Also, the plans include widening the alley itself so that movement is more free in general. I don't know how they plan to widen the alley or carry out the works though without at least temporarily restricting access. Did anyone actually attend the meeting and hear what the developers had to say on that point? I can see that justifiably being of real concern to those in Copeland Park and Bussey. Blah Blah Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > I suppose the arrogance of youth is at play there. > > > Looking at the plans, I think the two levels > bolted on to the top could be more sympathetic to > the architecture of the rest of the building and I > wonder how retail units in the passageway will > work, as the Bussey use this as their entry point > to club night with security at the end of it. I > think those might be issues for them as well. > > Still, at least the two sides are talking now.