Nigello

Nature abhors a vacuum so if cheap labour (for that is what a lot of newly-arrived immigrants constitute, to the benefit of big business which can keep wages low because it knows there is always another Pole/Lithuanian/Colombian to do unattractive jobs) in the shape of immigrants goes or is reduced, why wouldn't they be quickly replaced with those that are already here - whatever place they or their forbears may have come from? London is stratified and segmented in unhealthy ways and I don't see it getting more integrated anytime soon. This can't be healthy and best practice for either the established or the newly arrived. Being able to have a cheap cleaner (I've never had one and doubt I ever will, cheap or otherwise), hop into an Uber (ditto) or get a takeaway delivered (double ditto) isn't a sound argument for unfettered immigration: why should one's middle-class keenness for cheap indulgences maintain a precarious and badly paid and worse-cushioned serving class who, because of the ubiquity of cheap labour, may never be ever to better themselves? Is it healthy that certain jobs and roles will mostly be taken by people from certain countries or backgrounds? It creates precedents that stick in the national psyche and which may well dictate one's perception and one's action.

nevermind her taking pictures of other peoples cars with no authorisation. - Why do you need permission to take a picture, on a private road or not? It makes even less sense if that private road belongs to the person who is taking the photos. Other aspects of her behaviour may well be unreasonable but I cannot see that one falling into that category. If private road rules extend to photography, I'd be happy to be corrected.

Cillit Bang activity?

I would say that the "waves" were generated by different causes (pogroms, persecution, invitation) and were also much weaker in strength than at the current time. Free movement is a great idea but if the hosts can't/won't keep up in terms of providing infrastructure (both physical and social/cultural) its attractiveness fades.

As well as the economic issues - both good and bad - there are cultural and social issues that do not get as much prominence. It is because that would mean talking about people as people and not people as money-producing units.

Not SE22, not SE15 but further afield: a new convenience shop is opening on Camberwell New Rd near the Green (224, I think). I mention it because there is loads of housing going up along that stretch of road and this is the first bit of additional, useful infrastructure I have seen to go with it. I do fear the worst for bus routes and traffic in general for those of us who travel from SE22 into town down this route when hundreds more people are wanting to do the same.

Out

Do it digitally and in person; posters about pyschotic cat torturers around primary schools is not a great idea.

THe fact remains that people do take their lives - and that of others in their care - in their hands every hour in and around where we live. Just have a look and you'll see people dashing out from behind parked lorries or stationalry buses into oncoming traffic, even when carrying children and at a distance of only a few feet from a crossing. They have to share some responsibility for accidents.

If "they" - the powers that be - are really interested in keeping casualties to a minimum, why not bring in rules that mean pedestrians have to cross at designated crossing points?

Go and see a Morrissey concert. Even if you love him, the pro-vegan video show he puts on is very disturbing and has made me reduce my animal product consumption. I am hoping that posher fast-food places use some of their profit to buy from excellent suppliers which care for their animals (before they do the opposite of caring by slaughtering them).

"I have to say one thing I find extraordinary about London is that businesses rarely will do anything to go out of their way to help someone." Are you basing this finding on the one example of three garages not being willing to help you? I agree it is frustrating but perhaps these businesses have insurance rules that prevent them from coming off premises, or it could be that leaving the business would mean potential loss of earnings. It's easy to think that "nobody cares" when you're in a stressful and testing situation but that may not be the best interpretation. Having good neighbours (or at least decent relations with even fairly good ones) is a much better idea in small countries like England.......

Actually talking to the people whose house/business has been affected by vandalism can work too. I've told a few householders/business owners about the council services and they've done the right thing - some of them have cleaned up even without Southwark's assistance. Cllrs Hamvas and Barber have been helpful too.

The sun can be very strong, so use sunscreen. Don't try to do too much in either place and build in some buffer areas so they can add a few days here and there if they like a particular place.

Help! I wish I knew that man from The Guardian G2 who does digested reads: he could trawl through this saga-length thread and boil it down to one sentence.

Hello, I have asked the builder to talk to the architect, with the idea of "pragmatism" (but not corner-cutting) in mind. Any other advice (or an offer to view a conversion) would be welcome via PM or here. Thanks,

.."because it has been given lots of CGS money over the years for 'community' projects." <<< Is this the real/main reason you want to visit the mosque - to find out which rojects it has been spent on? It's not an unreasonable request.

..how much would it be to raise the roof a full 7" (200mm) or so? If anyone has had this dilemma, please let me know - via PM if you like. (I have been told by an architect that the space is low, so the headroom is likely to be very low without raising the whole roof.) This from the architect: From examination of the existing loft space the height from top of ceiling joists to underside of the ridge member is only about 2350mm, to provide an adequate loft extension this height should ideally be a minimum of around 2500mm. This would enable the installation of a new loft floor (including beams), a ceiling height of 2300mm for a bedroom and a rear dormer roof. The planning ? permitted development guidelines require the dormer roof not to exceed the existing ridge height of the roof. If we could obtain planning permission to raise the roof line by about 200mm (this would require a complete new roof) it would help considerably on the height issue, however approval cannot be guaranteed.

I was promised by Virgin X amount of bandwidth and was only getting Y, so I asked to be placed on a tariff that was more realistic (explaining that I did not see the point of paying for the higher amount when I was only getting the minimum amount on the lower tariff). I also got a bit of compo for inconvenience and it only took a phone call.

A garden wall (about 6' high x 15' long) has come down on the Goodrich/Upland corner. The fire brigade is in attendance. The pavement is blocked.

I am not excusing poor or dangerous driving but do want to point out that congestion and works make for impatience and - sometimes - bad habits. It's now pretty normal for buses and other large vehicles to speed up to get through an amber, rather than slowing down. Plenty of vehicles go through on red, thinking that it's OK because they are travelling at slow speeds. Pedestrians crossing willy nilly** - sometimes pushing buggies and carrying children - don't help either. **I have no idea whether this applies to Friday's poor accident victim.

We need a guided bus (Camberwell>>>Elephant/Old Vic>>Peckham). They're relatively cheap but not as glam as undergrounds or trams, so not likely to excite the planners and the councillors.

Does the ticket officer have any thing to do wiht security, cleanliness, health and safety? If so, then his/her absence will be felt.

The ? shops on Rye Lane are great for tins of pulses and other basics, like olive oil, tea bags, instant coffee etc. In the CoOp, search for the non-CoOp versions of chick peas etc because they are about 30p/tin cheaper. Sainsbury's and Tesco have good-value cut flowers (as does CoOp, if you can get beyond the day-glo daisies).

Re tagging: I mentioned to the person taking care of a well-established and generally well-respected shop in SE15 that the council would remove any tagging (because this shop had been vandalised very visibly) but was told - very patronisingly and self-satisfiedly - by that person that s/he actually liked it and that it was a good thing that certain neglected parts of the local young population were able to express themselves given that the wall-art (murals etc.) were by and for the middle class elite. I am not going to name the shop as the person who was "in charge" that day was not the manager and not necessarily speaking for the owner but it was like coming face-to-face with a walking, talking Viz character.