taper

One of those fat people you see running might well be me! I went from one mile to a marathon in eleven months, all at 16 plus stone; so it can be done. You won't lose much weight exercising (running one mile uses up about 150 calories): food intake is all important. But you will get a lot fitter and feel a lot better. Walk/run is the way to go. Intersperse your walks with one minute or so of running (downhill will be a lot easier). And technique wise, try to focus on going at a very steady pace, and keep your steps short - so no big strides like a 400m runner. You will find eventually that your knees and hips get stropnger and that you'll be running up to 5 minutes in no time. Then gradually increase your longest run by about 10% each week. Try and do this at least three times a week. And try doing it with a friend if you feel a bit self conscious.

The full skinny is here: http://www.bikeforall.net/content/cycling_and_the_law.php Key section reads: CAN CHILDREN CYCLE ON PAVEMENTS? According to the Department for Transport (DfT), the maximum fine for cycling on the pavement from the courts is ?500. However it is more usually enforced by way of the Fixed Penalty Notice procedure (FPN) which carries a ?30 fine if pleading guilty. However, there is a view that the FPN can only be issued to those over 16. "The DfT view, from discussions with Home Office, is that the law applies to all but the police can show discretion to younger children cycling on the pavement for whom cycling on the road would not be a safe option." The age of criminal responsibility is 10 so, technically, only children below this age can cycle on pavements without fear of redress. While adults are not allowed to cycle on 'footways' (see definition above), children up to the age of 16 cannot be prosecuted for doing so, see text above for clarification. When using segregated cycle-paths ie signed footways shared with pedestrians, cyclists ought to keep to the side intended for cyclists.

Best of the Summer fairs I reckon. Pitched perfectly. Respect to the DJ: Dylan, the Eagles, The Searchers, even Shakey. Summer's not over though: watch this space for information on the Warwick Wingding on Saturday 26 September (admittedly in Peckham's Warwick Gardens, but what's a post code between friends).

If you're thinking of getting in the car (cab) to Chez Bruce, we just had a fab birthday meal at the new-ish Conran restaurant in Shoreditch - The Boundary. Quicker to get to than Wandsworth (about 20mins in a cab). Very romantic, beautifully designed space, attentive staff, tip top grub (traditional French, with proper hors d'oeuvres and cheese carts and everything and lovely things like chocolate dipped crystallised orange petit fours). Also very glamorous bar with classic cocktail list. To make a really romantic date of it, you could start at the rooftop bar (we couldn't get in when we went, it was full at 8.30pm but lunch prob easier) - think that's also a restaurant, but not sure you can book tables being outdoor. Have to say, if it's something special, I would go further afield than ED, in my experience all the places mentioned in this list have been both hits and misses (eg had lovely food at the Herne, but also fantastic rudeness from landlord; super service at Rosendale as well as meal-spoilingly bad); Palmerston bit less variable quality, but def not sexy, nor Chardon (too cafe-like). Another pretty sexy place is Eyre Brothers in Hoxton, added bonus is a fab cocktail bar/club across the road, Home I think it's called? Anyway, have fun - let us know how it goes!

We started at 4 months in Stoke Newington, then went to Crystal Palace and my daughter's now at Peckham Pulse. Crystal Palace: teaching is pretty ordinary, but it's well organised and the facilities are ok. Peckham Pulse nicer pool, better teaching, but the admin is chaos - you have to be really, really persistent, but it's worth it. therwise I'd agree Beckenham Spa is pretty good - a friend of mine goes to a place in South Norwood, can't remember name, but recommends highly. It is a bit of a slog and you do have to be pretty determined to get a place wherever and to keep going, but it's a brilliant thing to do - my daughter (now 5) has been able to swim independently was 3 and absolutely loves swimming, is learning to dive. And you're absolutely right, when she was tiny, it was the only way to guarantee a good long sleep!

I had my daughter on the waiting list for 3 years and didn't get a place, despite having been advised that I should get a place within a year. My daughter went to Herne Hill kindergarten in the end, and we lost our hefty deposit at the Sainsbury's nursery (I do think if you're on a waiting list for more than 2 yrs they should refund you). The staff turnover does seem high - the management changed twice during that time, and now seems to have changed again - I do think that's not a good sign. . The Villa nursery on Lyndhurst Grove is really lovely, but has a 2 year waiting list, so could be worth putting your little one down for a place now.

Hi - Taper's partner here (he don't shop). Great to hear you've taken over Petals, Nick, and intrigued by your concept. I wouldn't worry re fashion retail saturation in the area - there are definitely niches left. Most of the existing shops do some interesting-ish day and evening wear but we're pretty light on mid-range casualwear, quality T-shirts, denim etc and there's certainly nothing locally that could be described as 'edgy'. The other local gap, with the loss of Booteeki and Raisin is decent mid-range childrenswear, and though you might not be considering this, it may be worth thinking about. A very successful model you could look at is The Hub in Stoke Newington - v similar customer base to E Dulwich/Peckham. The Hub does (in a slightly smaller unit than Petals) a good range of mid and higher priced womenswear (bit of French connection, Hoss, Diesel etc) some denim, great hosiery - Falke and Wolford - some accessories, plus a little bit of Petit Bateau childrenswear (the preggie shop on North Cross Road stocks some Petit Bateau, but only up to toddler age, I think. Anyway v good luck with your venture - I will definitely be dropping in. When do you open?

TLS Bare statistics of the kind you mention might leave people with certain limitations to draw erroneous conclusions. See here for a serious piece of research by the home office which gives you as much information as a brain can take: http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs05/rdsolr3305.pdf Not sure it gives you the results you thought you'd get. But I hope it helps.

Many thanks. A kind soul has given me a form.

Peckham rose - i fear it hasn't. the form there wasn't the right one. ??? - i have an express appointment, but it's first thing and i need to fill it out today and get it countersigned.

no: you can fill them in online, and then they send to you to complete in ink. I need to have one today. Need to replace a damaged passport tomorrow.

I've posted this on the wanted section too, so sorry. But it's urgent, this section is busier, and I'm desperate! For reasons I won't go into, I need to lay my hands today (Sunday) on a passport application form. Does anyone: a) have a spare form I could have; b) know how I could lay hands on one today? This is very urgent, so i'd be very grateful for any help. PM me or leave a message underneath. Thanks

No-one has a right to free speech on a private site such as this. What is allowed and what isn't is, within the law, a matter for the owner. All that said, i don't think TLS is malign; just your standard issue Daily Mail reader, with a bad case of rosetinteditus. It is incumbent on us to make plain to him where he is talking out his backside. And let us hope that the discourse tempers his views a little. I don't think he's been particularly bad on this thread. He has come closer to crossing the line elsewhere.

Sillywoman - But if you are thinking of paying for your education, then from what I gather those schools are relatively reasonable. I think St Dunstans is cheapest around here, but they're all within a few grand of ten grand.

TLS My role on threads where you are active is to weaken your arguments with facts, not buttress them. Best plumber I ever had was Albanian.

Alleyns, JAPs etc don't have waiting lists: entry is ability based. Other prep schools - best to get your name down a year or so before they're due to go.

Here we go Tony, some data on A&E waiting times. Our own Kings sees 98.3% of its patients within 4 hours. If you've ever been to A&E there, you'll know it is very multi-couloured. I can't see any evidence here of a link between areas with a high % population of non-English speakers and longer waiting times. Barts (includes RL) is over 95%; Bromley is 91.7%. Cornwall does well though. Probably more to with the quality of the hospital than anything else. http://www.performance.doh.gov.uk/hospitalactivity/data_requests/download/total_time_ae/ae_08_q4_pt3.xls Them pesky facts eh.

Cranial osteopathy is quackery I'm afraid. http://www.badscience.net/2004/09/cranial-osteopathy/

If only it did! This forum attests to the stress of state school entry and waiting lists

The old head left didn't she? It's a high risk time for primary schools. And the report is a very average "satisfactory" (only one "good" - personal development). DKH was a few years back the most desired state primary around that part of Southwark Goose Green has its monitoring report just out (it's in special measures). Not very good. St John's got a "satisfactory" too, but a better one than DKH.

Mr Anus The internet is good for two things: the exchange of information of interest between a tiny number of people who can't punch one another and spleen venting. You have combined both magnificently and I salute you. The dog/child comparison deserves respect, awe, and surrender. So I for one am happy to concede that the moral case for parent parking is weak and that driving in a car park is a cinch. Mr Woof has though nailed the reason it exists: market forces. And only a hippy would argue against the morality of that.

What this thread needs is Tony LS to add a racial dimension and then we'll have a perfect storm of a thread. Perhaps ProSouthwark is Tony gone to Sussex University in the 60s.

I'm sure you could. But that wouldn't be at all relevant would it. What these incidents show is that car parks are dangerous. And intuitively you know that to be right don't you. Lots of nooks and crannies for children to suddenly appear out of, cars performing complex manouevres, stressed parents struggling with wayward trollies and children. But not as dangerous as sword swallowing, I'll give you that.

Bob Some more. http://www.gazettelive.co.uk/news/teesside-news/2008/04/21/woman-dies-after-accident-in-morrison-s-car-park-84229-20794655/ http://www.thisisbath.co.uk/travelandtransport/Woman-taken-RUH-car-park-crash/article-957984-detail/article.html http://www.echo-news.co.uk/news/2320405.crash_in_supermarket_car_park/ http://www.thisissouthdevon.co.uk/news/Woman-hurt-car-park-crasharticle-711716-details/article.html http://www.accidentsdirect.com/personal-injury-news/12763530-teenager-knocked-off-his-bike-wins-compensation.aspx You're not even wrong.

Bob http://www.bellshillspeaker.co.uk/latest-scottish-news/Woman-dies-in-car-park.5416104.jp http://archive.camborneredruthpacket.co.uk/2003/10/7/25635.html