Nigello

The idea that Biden and Harris will be radical is laughable. There are too many vested and powerful interests in the US for there to be anything really radical, like, for example, a nationwide network of high-speed trains, universal income, etc. America is conservative and elites - left and right - rule. The Twitterati are en vogue right now but both the P and VP are long-time politicians who know they have to compromise and water down their attractive, vote-grabby "promises". Right now, just turning back the clock on Trump's decisions is just that - a 180 turn of the dial. The right-wing will continue to have influence and any number of millennial-friendly concerts won't change that. Also, millennials get older and have to pay bills and deal with life and will lose their zeal, at least a fair share of them. Now, had it been the other very old man with white hair, maybe it would have been different...

I am getting mostly pigeon (normal and wood) and the occasional robin, some sparrows (think they are house) and a very occasional jay and blue tit. Surprisingly, a crow has been taking food from the top of the brick wall - I have not seen a crow do this in 20 odd years here, though there are plenty of them around generally. I have been chopping up apple cores and mixing with oats and any meat/fat scraps and bird peanuts rather than just putting out seed and suet feed.

We really do not NEED any more bloody cafes here, but we do NEED more places for people to live. Ideally, it would be shared-ownership, etc. but we don't live in an ideal world and people of all shapes, sizes and wallets need places to live. Melbourne Grove is not a high street - it is very mainly residential so please don't speciously use the "save our special shopping streets" argument - it is a valid argument when used in the right place.

Why do you point out their skin colour? Doing so suggests that you think yourself, or others on here, will expect white people to be always more compliant than non-white people. Just say people. You know, like we all are! (You seem hung up on colour of skin - in my post about people refusing a Covid vaccine I mentioned poorer people and other groups who may be more susceptible being stupid for not taking it. You took it as a reference to their ethnicity, when there was no way of knowing what I meant because I used a catch-all term, groups, because there are many sets of people - old, disabled, poor, mentally challenged, carers, some black or brown people, who are more susceptible, and I attributed South Asians to a BBC report, not my view. Good on you for challenging, though.)

Sue - maybe you and others in a similar position were on a list (shielders, carers, etc.) whereas most others who were not high-category as per the first lockdown (ie. shielders) so they are just in with the normal 80+, 70+, etc.

I think a walk-in would work better. It is worth a, ahem, shot.

Rupert - go down to Tessa Jowell centre and give the vaccine team people your name and phone number and date of birth and ask whether you can be rung at short notice, if, for example, people do not show up. I understand that some places are using vaccine leftover (due to no-shows, etc.) to inoculate people rather than waste it. I am sure they don't want wastage.

A rational person is able to hold a various number of opinions, including contradictory ones, at the same time, so I can say bravo re the vaccine and boo-hiss re other aspects of Covid-19 response. The vaccine development and rollout deserves applause and thanks.

That does not suggest a scattergun approach to me but a pretty delineated one. The fact there are priority groups means that attention is paid to those at most risk - their own health and that of those they are likely to encounter. I hope none is wasted and that everyone shows up when they are invited and have confirmed.

When I see someone here complaining about X or Y aspect of the environment or the council's work, etc., I post the link to the site that gives you your councillor and MP's name and contact, etc. https://www.writetothem.com/ At least then there is the chance the writer will look and act, rather than shout into the wind. (I know that helps in some way - venting spleen, alerting others, etc. but it needs to be done alongside a formal complaint and/or personal action, such as picking up litter and then writing to the councillor that more bins are needed, etc.)

I was given this number by a receptionist - 020 8194 7570.

What is the reason that crews are changed and how often does that happen?

I agree that the onus is on any council to communicate well but it also behoves any citizen to involve himself with local politics, even if it is just reading a local paper every week and knowing who his councillor is, let alone how to contact him. PLU (people like us) are already involved and others don't know or don't care. Would civics lessons in schools help? Would councillors going into schools help?

I am wondering whether GPs are allocated a certain amount of vaccine according to a UK-wide average rather than a specific allocation for their patient list. That way, if there were, say, fewer 80+ but more 60+ (or, say, 50+ with lng disease or diabetes, etc.) then those less urgent cases get to have a vaccine? DMC nurse told me I was higher up the list than I had thought, which made me think that that is according to DMC's current and particular ranking rather than the UK-wide on.

Ianr - congrats, first of all - was it all arranged and done on the same day, or did you ring up one, two, three days earlier?

WHatver the system is, none of us here really knows. I wsa told I would be called soon, even though I thought I was in a less-at-risk category and be called in a few weeks. Is there somethign I should know?! Eek! Anyway, only in areas that the majority of 80+ have been done are the over 70s being contacted.

One of those C4 food shows rehydrated old cake by wrapping it in foil and putting it into an oven at about 100C for fifteen minutes. It works because of, er, science - you would think such heat would further dry it out, but no. If it is still horrid, feed it to the birds!

Which surgery? I was told that DMC is offering vaccines via the Tessa Jowell centre and that I?m to expect a text or call from the DMC.

I think you have to be firmer and say that there are conventions, if not rules, and that for everybody's sake they must do more to help you. Another idea is to do a bit of detachment - you have limited power and this is a situation that will change for the better anon - which is not to detract from the pressure you feel. I would also tell them you are talking to the landlord to put it on the record. Otherwise, consider a move out to a place where you could get your own place - this is not facetious but a real recommendation. Good luck!

I wouldn't say that JHB is a denier. She believes the virus exists and is damaging to people's health but she also believes that lockdowns are not effective as others would have her believe. True deniers are those who think that there is no virus and no disease caused by it.

I just spoke to my regular postie who said I ought to be getting second delivery today. He said he had been off with Covid-19 and that piles of mail are there in bundles and that if I were to go down, I may get a nice person who would go and search but then again, I may not!

I thought it could be good as a Psycle and/or Barry's kind of place - right near the station and bus stops for pre/post work workouts. Waitrose would be nice but would it make money? M and S always has yellow label reductions on lots of its stuff daily, suggesting there is not the demand for at least some of its range.

I love dogs and make a point of coo-cooing them and generally don't get cheesed off if they bound over to me and jump up, etc., but on two occasions I thought about how I would react had the two animals been barking at/jumping up at someone who was not a fan of dogs or who was afraid. Both were on leads, both had owners who meekly said "oh, I'm sorry, ha ha!". I said to the owner today who said that "Good. You should be."

You are not obliged to go to one of the super-centres and can wait for a local appointment, but the larger ones are designed to be reachable by people within 45 minute drive, so it suggests that personal transport is expected, if not encouraged. My questino remains - if you know of a local GP surgery that is offering the jab, please say.

The now empty corner shop on E D Road, along from Papa John's, etc., has got a new mural, which is very good. I spoke to the artist who said he wanted to add a bit of colour, I am guessing both figuratively and literally.