fl0wer

Yes david but we cannot possibly stop there. Looking at the range of options to avoid unfair trade, its process can be interrupted at any point along its length. Anywhere - until responsibility is exercised at all possible levels. Everyone, from the beginning to the end of its chain, has a part they could play, once alerted to the consequences of inaction. Because each individual chooses, a 'group permission' exists. Schools could open teenagers' eyes about production methods for the cheap fashion goods they see in the shops. It could be tied in with some other study by any skillful teacher. E.g. many parallels in 19th century industrialisation and what had to happen in Victoria's reign. Mass migration into factory towns took place because people lost the means to thrive in their rural working lives running small family businesses. How they lose independence, and why, is almost a whole A level in itself.

I thought they were gorgeous, until I discovered that some species need to live as parasites in other insects, before they emerge as winged adults. First Orange Tip butterfly seen this week, flying alongside the trees of Camberwell Old Cemetery. It tells you here what the larval food plants are, worth knowing so as not to be over zealous with the 'weeding' http://www.britishbutterflies.co.uk/species-info.asp?vernacular=Orange-tip

Agree with you re: City and that reminds me - many investors get entangled with these unwanted businesses, eg pensions, stocks and shares schemes purchased without our permission, knowledge of their profit-making style remaining a closely kept secret. About the Irish wheat. In that story, as in this one, ignorance as well as propaganda play their part. From Cecil Woodham-Smith's book [The Great Hunger] she describes in exact, chilling detail how the government of the day eventually sent rations to prevent starvation from Ireland's potato crop blight. But the starving people couldn't cook these unfamiliar new grains like rice & maize, having been subsisting on one-pot potatoes for centuries....ever since the English ousted them from their mixed farms inland.

http://www.theguardian.com/world/ng-interactive/2014/apr/bangladesh-shirt-on-your-back Am re-posting links about cheap consumer goods because I believe every ordinary shopper will want to assess their next course of action. When it is so hard to avoid buying things which are made in sweatshops, and the market is flooded with cheap clothing, whose responsibility should it be to bring about change? Purchaser's, to withdraw their sponsorship directly, by not buying? Or shop's, to ensure their buyer researches and deals only with fairtrade? Could local Chambers of Commerce deny High Street space for chains with known links to this kind of industry? Should it be the government's, to exert power abroad and insist on workers having rights? What stops the workers themselves forming unions?

Lots of charity shops in area, 1 at the Plough 2 St Christopher's on Lordship Lane 1 Save the Children on LL 1 down on Goose Green 1 on Rye Lane etc also, 1 which raises money to rehouse homeless people, Emmaus, nearest branch over at W. Norwood. It sells all sorts of sound household goods.

Lewes is a great town, house prices are not much lower than London. Short trip by train to Gatwick; could get noisier from aeroplanes in future. Further inland Petersfield gets my vote but again housing is pricey. Designated inside S. Downs National Park, countryside fantastic round there. Trains frequent & fast, it's on the London/Brighton line.

The designers would benefit from a research trip to see how well all playgrounds are surfaced and maintained in Berlin. Their standard is much more child-friendly, using softer finishes under the installations than tarmac, and more resilient surfacing than turf. They include wood chippings and sand. We were remembering German excellence of design and willingness to look after things collectively, on sight of the sorry muddy mess and cold metallic Health & Safety dictated appliances of average London playgrounds. Wood is used for frames & platforms and runways in friendly shapes to climb. Metal just gets used for slides and rails here and there. All well maintained and clean and strongly built. Trees & flowering shrubs are set out round interesting curving pathways. Some children learn to use their trikes and others chase round playing hide & seek with their friends etc. Best of all each street corner has a slightly different version. For example you find lots of 'animals' the toddlers can climb through. Many have charming circular house shaped structures. Winter or summer these are welcoming spaces.

Dear Mike, the forum has a separate Events section, "What's On In East Dulwich" which you can find by clicking in the 'jump to...' drop-down menu at the top right

Launderette on Forest Hill Road, they do a great job, but you might like to ask for a less "fragrance"-laden fabric conditioner. They do supply a non-aromatic one if you ask. My feather dble size service-washed and tumbledried was less than ?10. A label on quilt will state if washable. Have hand washed feather items at home, but they don't usually fit in the drum of an ordinary washing machine to spin out excess moisture. Then drying needs a sunny hot day, labour intensive as pillows or duvet need to be shaken and turned often.

Killing things by hoovering them = cruel. A slow death by suffocation. If you have to kill a thing just crush it quickly. For preference set it free outdoors instead. The hibernators in your pic were 'harlequins'. Picture gallery, FYI. http://www.theguardian.com/environment/gallery/2013/jul/22/ladybird-species-harlequin-uk-insects Invertebrates generally are an important layer of the food chain which humans have been damaging so it is worth doing the research.

New case of great concern re: grounds for prosecution/medical interventions (quite a complicated text but relevant to all health professionals helping women get repairs after FGM, especially when they are necessary in preparation for childbirth). http://www.theguardian.com/society/2014/mar/27/fgm-charges-doctor-criticised-obstetricians-gynaecologist

Dear Katzenbaer, you are well situated for walks in almost every direction. Apart from Sydenham Woods, there is wild woodland in Camberwell Old Cemetery, then you can cross Forest Hill Road, & beyond Brenchley Gardens cross R to find historic woodlands on One Tree Hill. Parallel to the Horniman Gardens, between the footpath and Wood Vale, is a strip of disused railway line, now designated nature reserve and 'wild woodland walk', pond and wildflower meadow at the far end. (No dogs. Locked outside office hours.) Dawson's Hill is another area of trees and shrubs and grassland, superb views specially for sunsets. Dulwich Park has gorgeous mature trees and flowering plants - more horticulture than wild but still a welcome 'green lung'. Peckham Park has an enclosed wildlife garden with beehives and a shelter + bench to eat a picnic. The rest of the park has big trees, ponds and wild woodland walkways. One section is kept dog-free, essentially as a facility for families with little children. Marsden Road has a wildflower garden, a lovely sanctuary which holds various teaching events through the year. These green spaces are all in need of the public's vigilance. To love them is to see how delicately they are poised between true wildness and urban vandalism! Some of them are being looked after well, others have endured fly tipping and over-zealous Council lopping & mowing etc.

So wise to keep friends out of it. Some of them reveal particularly mischievous sides, loving to fan the flames as it were. Contact the local mental health team as detailed above to get yourself an 'assessment'. It usually takes the form of three one-hour interviews within 1 month, during which a kindly person helps establish the sort of therapy to refer you for. This varies in each area and the helper will know what sort are on offer. Plus, as you have a little child the emphasis must be on finding you a manageable time in the week. Some groups are really ace - others a dirge. It depends how well run, how dynamic and refreshing they can be. At their best they offer a life-raft to get people through change, whatever they are stuck with, and the good thing is that the meetings span over time, many months if necessary - so that you receive encouragement as your goals clarify. Also you can give that same kind of thing to others, then you aren't always in a therapist/patient relationship. Good luck to you, and I am sure nobody minded seeing your request on the EDF.

Latest news is that since 2009 4,000 women have been treated for FGM in London hospitals. http://www.theguardian.com/society/2014/mar/19/fgm-women-london-hospitals-female-genital-mutilation

Most of the good advice is already written above. I think as well as making a verbal complaint to the school staff, it is crucial to follow this up with the same material in written letter form, including their replies [a bit like minutes of a meeting]. Keep this document within the school first - 1 copy should be given to the people you met, hopefully these were your son's form teacher, and the deputy head. Keep one to use if in future things have not improved. I would suggest someone on the Parent Teacher Association next. At this point in time whilst your son has an instinct not to escalate things at this school, but to leave altogether - and he isn't saying everything, I feel sure - you need to be on his side. There might be other reasons he wants a different place. Have you understood fully what his critique of the school means to him? Is it possible he is not thriving there because his creativity and personality cannot flourish in the things they're offering? I mention this, because special needs can go unrecognised. Usually educators will pick up on dyslexia but there are plenty of hyper sensitive children who find ordinary big, noisy secondary schools intimidating....and the other kids might well label them "gay". They will be OK in adulthood only if they are given the slightly more sheltered options of smaller classes, more creative arts, more skillful attention to learning methods, etc.to help them get through the exam hurdles and find careers which make the most of these sensitivities. Many become writers, musicians, and painters.

A column you mightn't have seen in a London newspaper....but welcome, and of interest to all of us caring for our families. http://www.japantimes.co.jp/opinion/2014/03/17/commentary/women-taking-charge-to-save-the-environment/#.Uya7SChnFSU

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-26600689

My OH's severe facial acne eventually cleared up one summer in his early 20's, when he went to S. France grape-picking and the sunshine was a fantastic help. Viewed one way, teenagers 'ugly phases' repel sexual attention therefore can be protective if a youngster feels s/he is not ready for closeness and wants a bit longer to grow up. The important thing might be to understand and allow for this. Rushing to cure that spotty mask, by medicating it harshly out of existence often makes someone find another symptom they can hide behind. As for hormones and whether dairy is healthy, soya is not said to be a brilliant alternative as it boosts certain oestrogen-type nutrients. In 2006 Felicity Lawrence wrote at length about it here => http://www.theguardian.com/news/2006/jul/25/food.foodanddrink Intensive farming & complex import networks mean milk, butter, cheese, and meat could easily contain aggravating chemicals and drug traces. Specially in adolescence the inner balance is already very sensitive. Paying the little bit extra for organic seems worthwhile, not just for the planet but for personal health.

Useful news here about a meeting between the various groups [for and against] airport expansion and noise regulation, who are now calling for a change in legislation and the appointment of an Ombudsman. You might like to add comments to the thread beneath this article. They will be read by a wider group than here on the EDF. http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/mar/10/heathrow-critics-supporters-independent-ombudsman-airport-noise Here is a copy of the actual letter, so you can see its signatories: ____________________________________________________________________ Air travel, and the aircraft noise that accompanies it, have become an integral part of modern life, but perceptions of aircraft noise vary greatly, mainly depending on where it is experienced. For most people, who do not live near to a major airport, air travel is exclusively defined in terms of the considerable economic or social benefits that it brings. On the other hand, for those who live near major airports, aircraft noise can be an imposition. The time has come to adopt a fresh approach, to restore trust and give people the confidence that their legitimate grievances are being addressed. We believe that the establishment of an independent aircraft noise ombudsman, set up at arm's length from government and the industry, could play a fundamental role in further establishing trust and confidence, thus bringing about a fair and reasonable balance between increasing demand for flights and noise control. Building on the common ground and goodwill built up among the interested parties, the ombudsman would collaborate with all of them to report on noise in an open, transparent and intelligible manner, and to deal with noise limitation problems fairly and sustainably. We therefore call on the government and politicians of all colours to work collaboratively with all stakeholders on designing, and thereafter the early establishment of, an independent aircraft noise ombudsman to further enhance and protect the welfare of people living near airports. Stephen Alambritis leader, Merton council David Amess MP Con, Southend West Tony Arbour AM Richmond, Kingston and Hounslow Jennette Arnold AM Hackney, Islington and Waltham Forest Bob Blackman MP Harrow East Mark Boleat chair, policy and resources committee, City of London Corporation David Brazier cabinet member for transport and environment, Kent county council Robert Buckland MP Con, South Swindon Sir Steve Bullock Mayor of Lewisham Muhammed Butt Leader, Brent council Jim Cunningham MP Lab, Coventry South Tom Copley AM London-wide Brenda Dean Lab, House of Lords Andrew Dismore AM, Barnet and Camden Jim Dobbin MP Lab, Heywood and Middleton Len Duvall AM leader of Labour group, Greenwich and Lewisham Roger Evans AM deputy chairman of the London Assembly, Havering and Redbridge Stephen Fry chief executive, Hounslow Chamber of Commerce Zac Goldsmith MP Con, Richmond Park Robert Gray director, Back Heathrow Rt Hon Sir Alan Haselhurst MP Con, Saffron Walden Gavin Hayes director, Let Britain Fly Dr Julian Huppert MP Lib Dem, Cambridge Darren Johnson AM chair of the London Assembly Jenny Jones AM leader, Green Group at the London Assembly Stephen Joseph chief executive, Campaign for Better Transport David Lammy MP Lab, Tottenham Mike Langan chair, Hillingdon Chamber of Commerce Lisa Lavia managing director, Noise Abatement Society Caroline Lucas MP Green, Brighton Pavilion Caroline Nokes MP Con, Romsey and Southampton North Steve O'Connell AM Croydon and Sutton Lib Peck leader, Lambeth council Roger Reed deputy leader, South Buckinghamshire district council Philippa Roe leader, Westminster city council Ben Rogers, director, Centre for London Andrew Rosindell MP Con, Romford Sir Bob Russell MP Lib Dem, Colchester Dr Onkar Sahota AM Ealing and Hillingdon Valerie Shawcross AM Lambeth and Southwark Henry Smith MP Con, Crawley Nicholas Soames MP Con, Mid Sussex John Stewart chair, Heathrow Association for the Control of Aircraft Noise Jeremy Taylor chief executive, Gatwick Diamond Business Baroness Valentine chief executive, London First Joan Walley MP Lab Stoke-on-Trent North Tim Yeo MP Con, South Suffolk Professor Xin Zhang professor of aircraft engineering, University of Southampton __________________________________________________________________________________

Thankyou very much. Will do. x fl

Have been admiring beautiful clumps of violets in Camberwell Old Cemetery this afternoon. They are food plants for butterflies, so am hoping nobody treats them as 'weeds'. It is a good time to observe wildflowers where grassland is old, and properly mixed, instead of being commercial stuff. Here's a page about the wild flora that butterflies need, please share. http://www.ukbutterflies.co.uk/foodplants.php

Does anyone know how to fix the soon-fading picture problem on an otherwise perfectly good Logik TV only 4 yrs old? 2 places I tried yesterday, one up at the Plough which has shut, and the little electrician's on North Cross Rd, which said it was open but wasn't.

Well I would like to, but the usual story runs along these lines: an owner is prevented by 'change of use' planning applications, from returning vacated shopfronts to livable accommodation. Logical then to hang onto steadily more decrepit premises until there's either a good reason to demolish or a change in planning policy. Recently government trumpeted they were going to ease up all sorts of restrictions. Perhaps some of the owners are living abroad, planning to leave their property as an investment their families can take up. Councils all seem to follow political rather than practical guidelines. For example they know small shops will fizzle out whilst a shiny new supermarket establishes nearby, but have been sweetened up by the giants offering a new local amenity of some kind....this is what I mean by political. So there is not a consistent attitude. If planners make decisions which hasten the demise of small shops, why won't they allow those spaces to become nice airy ground-floor homes with gardens, which would suit families?

Posting this in the 'family discussion' section for all who found childbirth traumatic, saw toxic NHS attention given to elders, suffered clumsy management of childhood illnesses, etc. Many of us wanted to complain but only encountered closed ranks of medical professionals + impenetrable legal defences. http://www.theguardian.com/society/2014/mar/06/patients-mistakes-senior-nhs-doctors

OK James, time to come up with your problem solving method now. I have done a little research on the govt regulations for security cameras. I have done a little more on the roles of magistrates. It's not a good look, the Council offering reasons for fly-tipping to remain incurable.