Robert Poste's Child

Now having visions of baffled Sainsbury's staff staring at an endless procession of EDFers clutching a pint of milk queuing up for the self-service over the next few days...

DKH has both serviced and the large self-service area that was extended a while back, plus another 8 self-service separately in the middle. Usually only about half the serviced tills are operating. I use the self-service as I'm not buying much and it's quicker given the serviced tills usually have queues of people with full trolleys. It's about time I stopped using Sainsbury's anyway. I buy all the essentials from Lidl then the few items I get from Sainsbury's cost as much as they do, which is annoying.

Sadly I believe that's true, based on my experience of working for a mental health organisation. I'm not suggesting it would affect everyone that way, of course, but for some people with existing struggles it's certainly possible.

In the past everyone changed in the small cubicles alongside the pool. Maybe something like that, with some larger ones for families? That wouldn't address the issue of people wanting to join single-sex swimming sessions, of course. How do you balance the rights of different groups, for example trans vs people who for faith or other reasons can't join mixed sessions? I do think even voyeurism can be harmful. When the mother and baby session starts on a Friday morning I've seen men in the other section whose heads go up like dogs spotting a squirrel. Whether they're looking at the mothers or the children I'm not sure but at lease there's a rope between them.

Horrible! I completely accept Sainsbury's right to enhance security but these screens are dreadfully intrusive for anyone who's not comfortable having their face in HD in front of them everywhere they turn. It could be seriously distressing or even triggering for people with body dysmorphia, eating disorders or mental health problems. Another thing: Sainsbury's chooses to have a large self-service area for cost/profit reasons. The message this sends out is, 'we don't want to pay staff to serve you but we don't trust you to serve yourself' - as though they're doing you a favour by allowing you to spend your money, and at what is the most expensive supermarket in the area. Maybe I'd have felt differently if the staff member covering the area also used the screens to notice when people need help or to clear up the squashed fruit someone had left. I already do much of my shopping at Lidl so I'm going to switch off Sainsbury's now.

How about sending it to the Met on Twitter? Might actually get a response that way - the last few times I've contacted the police via the online form or non-urgent number there has been no response at all.

I agree with Penguin68 too. That said, the use of 'identify' is becoming a concern as it blurs the distinction between fact (can be proved by independent evidence) and belief (an idea we act on as though it were a fact). There's a clear link between that and the fake news era where when enough people agree on a version of events it seems to be accepted as truth. I completely support people having the freedom to identify as whatever feels right for them, and to change that as they go through life, but throughout my 50+ years of life, whenever people have told me their story about how they knew they were gay or trans, culture has been a big part of it: 'because I hated dolls and liked playing football' or whatever. I think children - and adults - should be free to wear or play or love whatever or whoever they feel like without having to interpret that as being in the wrong body.

There was a nasty poster on the back of the ladies' loo door in the library today. Probably not directly related to the above as it was a violent image of the Prime Minister (not going to attach a photo* as in my view we need to stop these things being spread even further by sympathisers or idiots). It was reported to library staff, who I'm sure will deal with it but worrying that vile scum would put it in a place with CCTV used by children. ETA: *not an implied criticism of the OP. It's obviously important that people have a reference point if they should see anything similar.

Michael Palaeologus Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > > It's his hardened arteries that keep him upright. Fair enough. My own probably aren't in any position to cast aspersions.

Do you mean around here? If they're in London or another city or town it's certainly a problem but in the country or a village I'd be less concerned.

Perhaps Thames Trains?

Are there still people who genuinely don't have and can't get a card, other than perhaps recent arrivals to the country, do you think? I tend to assume you can't avoid it these days, though that said I'm always surprised by the number of people in Lidl who won't use a 'card only' till.

No worries. You'll get there!

You could try the following: - Open existing CV doc - Select All / Copy - Open new blank Word doc - Paste special / unformatted text - you should now have all the content and none of the formatting except capital letters, punctuation and hard line endings - Format new doc.

I think selfishness and poor road manners are more frequent causes. I'm so tired of seeing drivers using phones, even looking down texting while moving forward at junctions. Yesterday on Rosendale Rd I passed a driver (female, white, in case anyone makes the wrong assumption) sitting right on the corner of Eastmearn Rd in a small black hatchback, engine running, smoking a huge spliff with a cloud of skunky smoke for at least 50 yards in all directions.

Help-Ma-Boab Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > So much butter it drips and leaves a puddle on the plate. Dear God, what state must your arteries be in?

Please don't think I'm in any way dismissing your experience as I know how selfish and dangerous some drivers are around here (and I'm usually on a bike so no armour at all), but 'a hare's breath' has totally made my day. I LOVE it. Much better than the original. Picturing it now and probably for some time to come.

ZT, it sounds like you've had it rather a long time. Perhaps time to go to your GP and get a blood test? It's probably just a post-viral thing but those kind of symptoms could be any number of things so it would make sense to rule out anything serious.

The traffic light sequencing is a nightmare. As soon as the east/west cycle lane light is on green, cyclists going ahead, left or right in either direction immediately hit a red light due to pedestrians being on green at the same time, which is confusing. As I've said before, when cars trying to beat the lights north/south outrun the lights and don't manage to get all the way across before the lights change, that means cars, lorries, mopeds, bikes and pedestrians end up competing for the same small box. This afternoon a few small children were straggling across after the pedestrian light changed and there could easily have been an accident.

Seabag Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Is there a coffee version of Afternoon tea? Clearly unorthodox, if not actually a breach of UK citizenship, but I expect it goes on. When we have tea at Fortnum & Mason my own sister usually orders a cappuccino (doubly wrong if Italians are present as they don't have it after midday). Kaffee und Kuchen is German for Elevenses.

DovertheRoad Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Robert Poste's Child Wrote: > -------------------------------------------------- > ----- > > High tea probably only happens up north these > > days. It would make a great addition for a > local > > cafe though; family friendly and fills the gap > > between 5 and 7pm nicely. > > > This is indeed a good idea. I reckon an early tea > place for families would be a winner. It's what > Aneto should be doing instead of trying to attract > an adult evening crowd for cocktails. It also works better for kids than afternoon or birthdays teas because although there are cakes, by the time they get there they've filled up on more nutritious food, including a fair amount of protein and fibre, both of which slow down sugar absorption.

Just wanted to say that I went to one of Flux's courses recently and it was brilliant - highly recommended. Hope to try another soon.

High tea probably only happens up north these days. It would make a great addition for a local cafe though; family friendly and fills the gap between 5 and 7pm nicely. Now imagining that menu translated into vegan / gluten-free / hipster. Feeling sad.

Blah Blah Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > LOL I am with you there. Afternoon Tea instead > perhaps Robert? Completely. A really nice afternoon tea once a year would be lovely. Nothing too fancy, though: just a pot of Darjeeling or Earl Grey, drunk from a bone china cup, with proper scones that stick heavily to the roof of your mouth, jam and cream. No sandwiches or miniature gateaux. Actually, even better is proper high tea. I was thinking about that in the shower only this morning. Cold roast meat and carved ham, baked potatoes, bit of salad, homemade crusty bread, chutney and mustard followed by light fruit cake, victoria sponge, perhaps jam tarts, and all washed down with lashings of tea.

I'd happily spend ?40 NOT to have to go to a football match.