RosieH

Begging letter - does anyone have season 5 they'd consider lending? Credit crunch is stopping me purchasing and LoveFilm are very slow on the uptake.... *Smiles pleadingly in desperation*

and if you do it regular like, consider getting Time Out book of walks - all in easy reach of London, and crucially, all have a lovely eating place half way through And TLS, some of us may have been exploring the wonderful world out there at the other end of the day, so just gathering our strength before the next onslaught

If you're looking for preposterous levels of fabulousness, l'Espadon at the Ritz is sublime: it lives up to the hotel name and is very ritzy indeed, but the food is absolutely incredible, and the service puts paid to the notion of snooty Parisians, it's some of the best, if not the best, I've ever had anywhere, even in the face of my companion's complete refusal even to say please or thank you in French and his subsequent breaking of a glass in his over-enthusiastic spooning of the amuse-bouche. It's bloody marvellous

I'm going to print up some stickers that say "I'm very rude please kick me in the shins" and whenever it happens that anyone forces me into the road or pressed up against the brickwork (or is that something else?) or stands on / runs over my toes again I'm going to offer them one. In fact I'm going to run after them and press several upon them. Prams schmams, I think the problem is that most pram-using people on here are lovely (most people on here are lovely) so it seems to them that they are being unfairly railed against because they can't countenance that there are some right f**kers out there. But there are. I do get forced into the road more by pram users than by the aforementioned family lunch parties so can understand Caron's concerns. But like Asset said, some people are just rude. Sadly I doubt this post will help, because the rude 'uns probably don't come on here, because if they did, they might think about mending their ways. Or they might not. Because they're rude and one day I'm going to go postal and kill them with sticks.

don't firebomb the kebab and wine - who could hold a grudge against such delicious meaty treats?!

Asset Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Acedout - the OP doesn't refer to 'oversize' > prams, but asks the ridiculous question about why > should they 'force' their way into shops and why > they don't go in single file on the pavement as it > inconveniences her having to step aside for a > moment. > Asset, to be fair, the pavement thing is really f*cking annoying - not stepping aside for a moment in and of itself - but being made to, and without a glance of acknowledgment or thank you. And because there are lots of young parents in ED, it happens more than it might elsewhere. That said, I feel equally peeved if a party of non-buggy pushers force me into the road without a thank you. Happens a lot on my road for some reason - often older families, kids in their 20s and their parents. Now that surprises me when they don't say thanks or smile. I've taken to saying thank you in a loud voice myself and one day am going to get a slap. But it's just rude.

giggirl, would the words "a ring a ding ding" be inappropriate here? on the subject of terrible sexism in advertising, isn't it at London Bridge where there's a picture of a man and a woman, and she appears to be looking at his groin and the strapline is something along the lines of "wish you had a bigger package" - i think it's something to do with banking

Lard, that's what everyone does ffs - bad places to cross the road, terrible bus drivers, noisy teenagers, fences, cats, moan moan moan. we all like a good moan. and seriously, a pram to the achilles tendon is not fun. whereas a good moan is.

No Tony, I do completely understand the idea of an eye for an eye - I think it's a fairly natural human reaction. But we have the power to rise above our natural human reactions and baser urges, and we also have a judicial system to deal with those who break the law. I actually have a cousin who's served time for GBH for exacting his particular eye for an eye and I struggle to feel any sympathy. The question of what makes "us" better than "them" becomes redundant if our reaction to violence is to mete it out in return, (however strong the impulse). And if you've enacted revenge for your hurt (to you or yours) then surely it's the prerogative of the him and his (or her and hers) to do likewise after you've put "one piece of human excrement out of Society's way for a while". An endless cycle of violence until all of you and yours and them and theirs are put out of the way..? My response was to JohnL's post that "If (finally) the commuter 'mob' turned on the muggers and dealt out some retribution" The notion of a mob doling out retribution turns my stomach, whether it's a mob of teenage girls outside a station, or a mob of outraged decent people heading for the paediatrician's with flaming brands and pitchforks.

in a mob? nice

and in addition to speculation, horrible visions of dystopian near-future with gangs of out-of-work roaming retribution-dealing bankers think there's a step somewhere between trying to prevent someone else's getting hurt and mass retribution in the event of which, the police would be quite right to get involved. immediately

No you're right Asset, but you're not talking about the same croc-wearing families of EDF folklore. When I moved here there were loads more young singles. But they grew up and had fashionable children and more fashionable young families moved in and family-friendly boutiques swiftly followed (or was it the other way round?) Not a bad thing, but very very different from how it was 10 years ago.

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For all that I occasionally get wound up about the great kid debate, I am content here in ED. I am a woman of not unreasonable means (that I blow in the random tat shops rather than investing soundly) with own career and nary a kid in sight. I also have a couple of friends in a similar position in the heighbourhood. Sometimes people (?????) find it surprising that single folks like ED. but you know what, WE WERE HERE FIRST. well some of us were - it's probably because we were so busy focusing on our careers and acquiring our means that we didn't procreate like the other then-single now-buggie-driving folks, and now we're the freaks. but it's a nice place to be a freak. good shops, trees, handsome men (even if you are allowed only to look), great meat

I think it can come down to conscience and reflex. I was horrified recently in KFC (I know, I know) to see a man start to physically attack a woman who had been begging. He punched her and kicked her while the entire clientele looked on, they actually gathered round to watch. I intervened, which I'm not saying for some kind of approval, but to make the point that it was the decent and may I make so bold as to say HUMANE thing to do. I couldn't not. I know that a gang is a different and there's a greater fear factor, but if you genuinely think someone's in danger of getting hurt does it really behove any of us to do nothing. There've been a few comments about animals on this thread which I'm genuinely staggered, and frankly appalled by. If no one gives a stuff about kids except to say let's lock 'em up, and walks on by when they see something disturbing, then where are these kids supposed to learn respect?

Booboo2008 Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- Hope that poor girl didn't come to any harm. what MW74 and Peckham Rose said. Did you guys witness a gang of girls setting about another girl, is that what this thread is about? And if so, did anyone do anything about it? I feel quite perplexed about this, but don't want to suggest people chose to look the other way and then come on here and tut about it if that's not what happened.

Saturday hangover and the Gilmore Girls omnibus - 4 hours of sassy american schmaltz

Definitely not their marital status - just the fact that they haven't met you yet, eh? John Stewart, American comedian, presents the Daily Show (8.30pm More 4 weekdays) - handsome, clever, funny, delicious

excellent list indiepanda I'd like to add, in the intelligent, humorous, sensitive vein, John Stewart. I'd marry him right this second, or date him, or whatever. A lot.

or Cabaret. generally not a fan of the jazz hands (except occasionally to emphasise a vital point in a client meeting) but Cabaret's superb Keef, I will learn from your example and attempt to patronise the local am dram offerings!

Is a musical of Jekyll and Hyde any stranger than Sweeney Todd? But Keef, would it be unkind to point out the glaringly obvious, as in the title of your thread..? Or am I cynical theatre snob?

yay for Snorky I met Mandelson once - he was funny, lovely and not remotely slimy. Yay for Mandy. Double yay - it means I can sing along to my favourite Barry Manilow...

mockney piers Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > "To be fair to Kate Moss (and I am no fan) she is > pretty much A List" > > I know what you're saying but I'm totally with > DaveR on this. Celebrity for its own sake is > ultimately worthless. > She wears clothes, has her photo taken and > encourages girls to snort coke in order to be > borderline anorexic, well worth every penny of her > millions, well done girl. > Actually, I would say well done girl. Let's face it, she was never going to win a Nobel prize, she's not done badly for a thicko. While I don't buy Hello and Heat and the rest of them, and am bored witless by most reality tv (I do like Strictly though) I can see that they're a form of entertainment and people - maybe not us but people - like them. The people starring in them are making the kind of money that they wouldn't be able to make working down Tescos. Perhaps in an ideal world, salaries would be commensurate with how much the earner was adding to the overall sum of human experience... Is it not just intellectual snobbery to condemn people for making the best living they're capable of?

Not to play devil's advocate, but I wouldn't say that Cheryl Cole was famous for "singing a little bit" - she's one fifth of Girls Aloud - a phenomenally successful pop group who've received critical acclaim as well as massive sales. I think there's something to admire there if pop's your thing. Equally, with Keef on the Kate Moss thing. She might be a coke-addled serial rock f*cker and a terrible role model for women, but she's also an iconic figure in popular culture and has been at the top of the modelling game for quite some time. But I wonder, is it really their responsibility to set themselves up as a role model? Aren't z-listers too just people living their lives and gaining fame and fortune however they can? I might find it dispiriting, but unless they expressly set out to do otherwise, I don't think it's anyone's responsibility to act as a role model for the nation.

OMG winstone. nice work - would just have liked to see a little Will Scarlett in the mix - Ray Winstone up a tree (k.i.s.s.i.n.g.)