Nigello

There's a clip of her on Razzamatazz, much-missed ITV pop show for kids. She was warm, humble, interested in the kids and really inspiring. This was an (ITV) children's pop show! Can you think of any of the tat produced now allowing an artist of her calibre to do a seven-minute show-and-tell?

Gorse

Niche

Wobby paving flags on Goodrich, opposite the school and near to 101, next to the cherry tree. I will report but if James sees this, please note.

I gave up added sugar for Lent one year, and it was pretty hard. No cakes, biccies, chocolate etc, but also no crisps, condiments, some pasta/pizza sauces etc. There's a lot of hidden sugar. The upside was that when I did eat something sweet again it tasted almost off-puttingly so, which meant I've ended up eating fewer cakes etc since then.

My friend got giardia in Edinburgh and felt ropey for weeks, even after the anti-parasite medicine. To avoid, eat yoghurt, and wash your hands thoroughly and frequently (and even then you might still get stomach bugs and other nasties).

I think it's a shame that most of them that I see are not using their main design feature because of a lack of conductor. I'd love to know what the designer (Thomas Heatherwick) thinks of this, especially given the fanfare and the price.

I think most houses in the area are OK, some are lovely to behold, and a few are eyesores. I'd prefer it if people did the bare minimum to keep their front gardens/exteriors neat and tidy - trimming the hedge or blinding yukka takes hardly any time but judging from the overgrown bushes of SE22 you'd think it was advanced lumberjackery. Think "lack of time" is a misnomer. "Can't be bothered" is usually nearer the mark. It's all about choices, folks!

I'd second the Yakult advice, but it's far cheaper to buy generic tablets containing the same stuff and eat yoghurt. Cider vinegar in small amounts can help. Could it be a parasite, like giardia? If it is, only a doctor will be able to tell you, after which a course of tablets would be prescribed.

Option B includes a plan for a widened pavement to be shared with a cycle lane, so please vote for option A. Cyclists rarely stick to the lanes from what I've seen on the one on New Kent Road and elsewhere - and it makes for unnecessary confusion. Otherwise, it looks like a good plan, even if bus passengers will have to walk from the Tube station to get to their stops.

Mails

Streethawk - Futurecop!

Luana, Ring 7525 5000 and tell the enviro division that you have ongoing problems with litter and ask them to tidy it regularly and install a bin. I agree that litter-louts are prevalent so you have to use what resources you can to fight them. Don't be too proud to pick up some of it yourself: I do and it sure beats getting wound up and doing nothing. (I also tell the council about grotspots and ongoing problems.)

Glad to have (part of) Goodrich resurfaced with minimum fuss, though I object a great deal to nonsensical bicycle symbols being put down. I'll take that back if Goodrich is on an advertised and signposted cycle route and similar signs appear on different stretches of that route, but I don't think it is. We all know that bikes are road-going vehicles (I'll not take the chance to bring up pavement cycling here) so why the need to paint a picture of one on the highway?

The Minkey, I'm totally unsurprised, unfortunately.

Posters write about there being rules, perhaps, but they're not being enforced. It's all part of the general "can't be arsedness" of the British public, including those in supposed positions of authority. When was the last time a bus driver chastised anyone for anything less than dismembering of fellow passengers? Do rail guards/drivers/conductors actually bother about their trains' being sullied by litter and loutish behaviour? Is the average commuter brave enough (like you really should be "brave" to ask someone) to not play their music out loud? I think not. It's a real shame and it's perplexing and very disheartening.

Just returned from Japan where, despite the high number of vending machines and low number of rubbish bins, the trains and stastions - not to mention the streets - were litter-free. Noone needs to eat on a train or bus, unless they are diabetic perhaps, so ban it henceforth. The number of people who think it is A-OK to eat smelly food and then - sometimes - drop their litter afterwards on the bus is staggering and makes me angry and upset about society.

It's fair to say that some buses after the peak hours run at less than full capacity, sometimes considerably so, so I can understand it when some people say capacity should be cut. If companies had different sized vehicles for different times, that would be a boon, but I'm really not sure how it pans out. FYI, and re another post, I am writing to the GLA and CCing Tessa Jowell about the idea of express versions of the 176 and others, or at least some way of increasing capacity at peak times. I'll keep you posted.

George.Paints asks "what can we do" about hairdressers littering the streets with discarded hair. It's very easy: ask them to stop, ideally yourself or, if you have stylistophobia, by writing to them or phoning them.

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I Can't Wait - Nu Shooz

To get back on topic: FHR shops are good but let down by a few grotspots. The yellow/blue monstrosity has been like they for years, so I doubt its owner will do anything to improve its looks. I like the bollards and bins that've been painted but lament the uneven shop fronts. Well done to those businesses that are doing their bit to beautify it and boo-hiss to the ones that aren't.

Ah, I thought it was word association. Didn't realise it had more rules. Instead? Wavey

Scalp

There's a ragbag of comments and attitudes about a variety of subjects on this thread; as regards civility and cleanliness etc on and around public transport, let me say this: I spent two months in NYC (based in Brooklyn Heights) recently and have to say that, despite the handed-down lore of the Big Apple being hard-nosed and hard-bitten, London (and the UK in general) takes the cake. The Subway was cleaner and more civilised than the Tube. No-one was eating or drinking, meaning they actually took notice of the signs showing passengers that it was against the rules. Free sheets were read and taken with them: none of that new, reflexive "behind the head and onto the ledge" shoulder move some Tube riders employ to get rid of the City AM/Metro/LES etc they've flicked through. People said "please", "thank you" and "no problem" often and in full voice, not as if they were embarrassed to be seen and heard being civil to a fellow human being. Here in London I challenge people - of all ages, sizes, colours and backgrounds - when they drop peach stones, orange peel, chicken bones etc on the bus or at the stop and, so far, have only got Paddington Bear hard-stares back. I get the impression that people's narcissism is as ramped up as much as their anger is suppressed - not a healthy state for either the individual or the society to which s/he belongs.